UNDER-THE-BIG-D1PPER 

D- GEORGE -DERY 


UNDER  THE  BIG  DIPPER 


HELENE 


UNDER 
THE  BIG  DIPPER 

§V 
D.  GEORGE  DERY 


BRENTANO'S     ::     ::     ::     NEW  YORK 
MCHXVI 


COPYRIGHT,    1916,   BY  D.   GEORGE  DERY 


TO  HER 

TO  WHOSE  GRACIOUS  FORBEARANCE 
AND  NEVER  FALTERING  FAITH  THE 
EXISTENCE  OF  THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE, 
I  HEREWITH  DEDICATE  THIS,  MY 
FIRST  LITERARY  EFFORT 

TO  MY  DEAR  WIFE 
MARCH  NINETEENTH,  1916 


2135237 


UNDER  THE  BIG  DIPPER 


UNDER  THE  BIG  DIPPER 


BOOK  I 


CHAPTER   I 

INDIA  the  wonderful — India  the  home  of  Buddha 
and  the  land  of  mystery  and  misery.  The  country 
of  glorious  traditions  and  unsatisfied  desires! 
What  ambitions  have  not  been  dreamed,  what  visions 
not  conjured  in  your  cause!  Assyrian  and  Greek, 
Mongol  and  Parsee,  Portuguese  rover,  Dutch  trader, 
Russian  diplomat  and  English  merchant  prince — all 
have  sought  thee  and  thy  wealth,  all  have  fought  and 
striven,  chicaned  and  murdered,  sneaked  and  schemed 
— for  thy  gold  and  dominion  over  thy  people. 

And  the  result  ?  A  land  teeming  with  beings  abject 
and  low ;  a  land  where  Paradise  might  have  been  nes- 
tling amongst  the  giant  hills  of  the  North,  now  laid 
waste  and  desolated  of  its  ancient  splendors — a  land 
of  dreams,  but  a  land  of  unfulfilled  desires.  The  coun- 
try of  caste  and  the  grave  of  unborn  ambitions;  the 
country  of  dirt  and  superstition ;  the  cradle  of  plagues 
and  epidemics  and  famines;  the  land  of  the  noblest 
palaces  and  temples,  as  well  as  of  the  meanest  hovels 
which  serve  as  dwellings  for  its  sad-eyed  patient  in- 
habitants. 

And  over  all  rises  and  sets  the  sun  of  the  tropics, 
over  all  shine  the  moon  of  Gautama  and  the  stars  of 
Zoroaster.  Over  all  there  rest  the  curses  of  disease, 
dirt  and  ignorance,  the  ready  tools  of  greed  and  lust 


4          UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

of  power,  the  outcome  of  lack  of  coherence  and  the 
terrible  rule  of  classes. 

This  cradle  of  humanity  is  still  a  couch  of  prodigious 
productiveness — and  to  our  eternal  shame  be  it  con- 
fessed— these  all-enduring,  passive,  gazelle-like  crea- 
tures are  really  white — white  like  we  are,  of  the  same 
color  as  are  the  gay  crowds  of  Hyde  Park,  or  the  Bou- 
levards of  Paris,  Rome  or  Vienna,  New  York  or  Bos- 
ton !  And  older  as  race  and  nearer  to  Eden  than  any  of 
these.  They  pray  to  Brahma  and  many-armed  Shiva, 
to  Buddha  and  Mohammed,  to  the  sun  and  fire  of  Zo- 
roaster— and  even  to  the  cobra  of  the  jungle ;  but  for- 
lorn and  without  hope  as  they  seemingly  are,  they  are 
still  human  beings. 

Along  the  dusty  highway  leading  from  Madras  to 
Pondisherry,  well  inland  and  therefore  removed  from 
the  life-giving  breezes  of  the  Coromandel  coast  and  the 
Bay  of  Bengal,  under  a  straggling  group  of  ficus,  a 
native  dwelling  on  low  stilts  raises  its  squalid  roof 
above  the  yellow  grime  of  its  surroundings. 

From  the  distant  hills  resounds  the  shrill  blast  of 
the  locomotive;  every  once  in  a  while  the  contour  of 
gently  rolling  land  permits  a  glimpse  of  a  curious  look- 
ing behatted  smokestack,  copied  after  the  model  of 
early  Pacific  days,  belching  soot  and  smoke,  and  pull- 
ing noisily  amidst  groans  and  creaks  their  little  dingy 
cars.  Along  the  highway  the  ungainly  telegraph  poles 
with  their  odd  crosspieces  copied  after  the  favorite  gal- 
lows-construction of  remote  rural  England,  bear  wit- 
ness to  the  encroaching  hand  of  western  civilization  on 
the  land.  Even  India  is  now  but  another  source  of  sup- 
ply for  trade  and  commerce. 

Near  this  native  structure,  in  the  shade  of  a  clump 
of  hybiscus  and  a  few  doleful  fig  trees,  some  saddle- 
horses  and  donkeys  are  tethered;  sprawling  in  the 
deep  weed-like  grass  and  scrubby  undergrowth  a  num-. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER          5 

ber  of  natives  with  swathed  limbs  and  streaky,  greasy 
turbans  are  contemplating  with  expressionless  mien  the 
cloudless  sky  in  which  float  and  soar  buzzards  and  vul- 
tures upon  seeming  motionless  wings.  At  some  dis- 
tance from  this  group  and  seated  on  a  well-filled  saddle- 
bag, a  European  is  smoking  a  cigarette,  as  if  unaware 
of  the  proximity  of  his  humbler  companions. 

The  stilted  building  itself,  containing  two  compart- 
ments separated  by  a  narrow  hallway,  is  made  acces- 
sible from  the  tangle  of  weeds  and  caked  mud  by  a 
crude  ladder-like  few  steps  of  filth-covered  boards. 

Even  the  bounty  of  the  tropics  and  wealth  of  vegeta- 
tion in  this  favored  clime  have  not  succeeded  in  hiding 
the  unattractive  nakedness  of  the  mean  dwelling. 
Straggling,  unkempt  brush  and  creepers  but  emphasize 
the  wild  condition  of  its  near  surroundings.  Rough 
weathered  beams,  decaying  boards,  cracked  dirty  bam- 
boo and  sunbaked  grayish  clay  afford  the  only  pro- 
tection against  burning  sun,  heating  wind  and  drifting 
rain. 

In  the  larger  of  the  two  compartments,  which  hardly 
justify  the  appellation  of  rooms,  two  men  are  seated 
upon  a  low,  rough-hewn  bench.  In  the  middle  of  the 
space  an  irregular  heap  of  straw,  covered  with  a  torn 
and  unclean  sheet  of  unbleached  muslin,  serves  as  a 
couch  upon  which  a  man  is  lying  prostrate — pale  and 
evidently  very  ill. 

One  of  the  two  seated  men,  a  dark-skinned,  bright- 
eyed  native,  heavily  bearded  and  dressed  in  garments 
denoting  a  position  of  high  standing,  rises  from  the 
bench  to  kneel  before  the  prostrate  form.  He  holds 
the  unresisting  wrist  in  his  capable  brown  hand  and 
feels  carefully  with  long  prehensile  fingers  the  pulse  of 
the  invalid. 

The  eyes  of  the  sick  man  are  covered  by  silky  lashes ; 
the  features  are  calm  and  resigned ;  the  nostrils  expand 


6          UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

and  contract  while  the  native  physician,  machine-like, 
listens  and  counts.  Then  the  hand  he  holds  is  laid 
gently  down  on  the  coverlet  and  slowly  rising  he  beck- 
ons to  the  other  figure  in  the  room  to  follow  as  he 
moves  towards  the  door. 

This  other  figure,  until  now  silent  and  rigid  In  its 
vigil  on  the  bench,  sends  a  look  of  deep  concern  and 
pity  upon  the  recumbent  young  man,  and  follows  his 
companion  into  the  adjoining  space,  where  both  retire 
to  the  wall  farthest  removed  from  the  sick  youth. 

"There  is  no  hope  for  your  young  friend,  my  lord. 
The  ague  has  weakened  his  frame,  the  drug  and  excess 
have  sapped  his  strength.  He  will  die  before  the  set- 
ting of  the  sun.  I  shall  give  him  a  draught  that  will 
ease  his  pain  and  hold  the  spirit  to  the  last.  Help  I 
cannot ;  he  is  beyond  the  power  of  man." 

His  companion,  a  tall,  lean  man  of  fine  features,  and 
even  in  his  begrimed  linens  and  dusty  pith  helmet  a 
man  of  importance,  gave  the  speaker  a  searching  look 
and  then  bowed  his  head  in  evident  grief. 

"Doctor  Saklava,  I  know  you  to  be  a  physician  of 
great  judgment  and  equal  skill.  The  governor  vouches 
for  you  and  I  am  more  than  grateful  to  have  had  your 
aid  so  promptly.  If  you  say  there  is  no  hope,  I  must 
cease  to  indulge  in  any.  But  oh — if  only  something 
could  be  done !"  Then  in  a  calmer  voice  he  continued : 
"The  boy  is  young,  his  constitution  strong,  and  after 
all  youth  clings  to  life!  Is  there  truly  no  hope?  It 
means  so  much  to  me !"  The  Parsee  remained  motion- 
less and  silent.  The  other  went  on : 

"When  I  asked  the  governor  for  help  he  dispatched 
his  chief  surgeon  at  the  same  time  he  sent  for  you; 
Major  Murdock  might  arrive  at  any  moment.  Will 
you  not  await  him,  pray,  while  I  go  in  to  the  boy? 
How  soon  do  you  think  will  he  awaken  to  conscious- 
ness ?" 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER          7 

"In  less  than  half  an  hour,  my  lord.  And  I  think 
his  mind  will  be  clearer;  indeed  he  may  be  perfectly 
rational.  But  his  heart  is  very  weak  and  his  vitality 
low.  The  next  attack  of  fever,  which  I  beg  to  assure 
you  cannot  be  prevented,  will  be  his  last,  I  fear.  His 
temperature  is  now  as  high  as  any  man  can  bear  and 
live;  his  pulse  is  galloping  and  his  lungs  are  under  the 
maximum  tension.  I  shall  join  your  man  in  the  grove 
and  will  await  Major  Murdock's  arrival.  I  presume 
he  will  bring  a  nurse  and  a  cot  ?" 

"The  governor  had  arranged  with  the  hospital  at 
Mahabalibar.  Would  we  could  have  found  the  boy 
a  day  sooner!" 

\  "My  lord,  the  seed  of  death  is  in  man  when  the  seed 
of  life  is  planted.  Any  time  during  the  past  week 
your  friend's  chances  would  have  been  no  better.  This 
district  of  ours  is  not  the  place  for  passionate  youth 
from  foreign  lands,  nor  is  it  the  country  where  in- 
dulgence can  be  committed  with  impunity.  Our  sun 
is  cruel,  our  climate  is  deadly.  He  who  cares  not  for 
his  life  here — is  lost.  Grieve  not,  my  lord;  fate  has 
overtaken  your  young  friend,  but  he  will  pass  out 
free  from  pain  and  unconscious  of  the  end  that  is  in- 
evitable. Until  later,  my  lord." 

While  the  deeply  salaaming  physician  retired,  his  tall 
companion  returned  with  careful,  noiseless  step  to  the 
sick-room  and  seated  himself  facing  the  sufferer. 

His  elbows  on  his  knees  and  his  face  buried  in  his 
palms,  he  contemplated  the  white  and  almost  lifeless 
features  of  the  dying  youth.  The  regular,  finely 
moulded  face  was  fair  like  a  woman's,  the  proud,  bold 
nose,  high  faultless  brow  and  beautiful,  wavy,  chestnut 
hair,  arched  lips  and  delicate  chin  betokened  a  dis- 
tinguished and  even  noble  ancestry.  Two  spots  of 
crimson  showed  on  the  cheeks,  almost  the  only  signs 
of  life,  and  imparted  an  appearance  of  extreme  youth- 


8          UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

fulness  and  innocence;  the  lips  were  red  and  bright, 
the  closed  eyelids  clear  and  smooth.  Must  the  boy  die? 

This  silent  musing  brought  a  flood  of  memories  to 
the  motionless  watcher.  His  eyes  grew  clouded,  tears 
gathered  in  them.  The  boy  slept  on  insensible  to  the 
bitter  grief  he  was  causing,  unconscious  of  everything, 
peaceful  and  still. 

A  shadow  fell  across  the  doorway.  Brushing  his 
eyes  the  man  rose  quickly  and  cautiously  passed  out 
to  greet  the  new  arrival.  It  was  Major  Murdock,  the 
surgeon,  a  severe-looking,  stout  man  in  undress  uni- 
form. A  few  whispered  words,  a  handshake  and  the 
two  physicians  follqwed  the  tall  man  into  the  sick- 
room. 

Dr.  Murdock  examined  the  sleeper's  face  carefully, 
thoroughly  investigated  chest,  heart-beat,  pulse  and 
temperature.  His  examination  over  he,  in  a  low  voice, 
requested  the  others  to  join  him  in  the  primitive  porch. 

"Your  Excellency,  I  can  but  confirm  the  diagnosis 
and  prediction  of  Dr.  Saklava;  your  friend  cannot  be 
saved.  He  lives  but  under  the  influence  of  the  nar- 
cotic that  the  doctor  gave  him,  the  only  drug  we  know 
which  will  hold  life  until  the  next  fit  of  this  awful 
fever  consumes  it  finally.  Dr.  Saklava  has  more  ex- 
perience in  enteric  fevers  than  anyone  in  this  province ; 
he  is  both  competent  and  skillful  in  the  knowledge  and 
treatment  of  all  native  diseases.  You  could  not  have 
had  a  better  physician.  Your  friend  will  pass  away 
with  the  next  attack.  He  will  regain  consciousness 
and  there  can  be  no  harm  in  speaking  to  him.  But 
after  his  fever  returns  he  will  be  delirious — and  in  his 
weakened  state  neither  drug  nor  cold  bath  nor  nurse 
can  avail.  Do  you  wish  me  to  watch  with  you  beside 
your  young  friend,  Count  Rondell?" 

"No,  Major,  I  think  I  will  remain  alone  with  him 
and  save  him  the  shock  of  seeing  too  many  strange 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER          9 

faces  upon  his  awakening.  He  doesn't  know  of  my 
presence,  if  you  remember.  Will  you  gentlemen  kindly 
remain  within  hearing?" 

"Certainly,  my  lord ;  when  you  want  us,  pray  call." 

The  Parsee  doctor  deposited  a  cup  and  bottle  upon 
the  bench,  and  after  giving  some  whispered  instruc- 
tions to  the  man  who  had  been  addressed  as  "Count," 
he  followed  the  surgeon  out  of  the  dwelling.  The 
tall  man  resumed  his  post  of  observation. 

The  oppressive  quiet  of  the  chamber  was  broken 
after  a  long  interval  by  a  sigh  followed  by  the  sound 
of  a  slight  cough.  Count  Rondell  leaned  forward 
eagerly.  The  invalid  had  moved,  an  arm  had  been 
thrown  up  and  the  hand  was  feeling  for  the  throat. 
Gradually  the  eyes  opened  and  the  sick  man  gazed 
stupidly  upward  at  the  dingy  mud-plastered  bamboo 
lace  work  of  the  ceiling,  and  then  slowly  and  almost 
devoid  of  intelligence  swept  the  foreground  and  rested 
curiously  upon  the  watcher.  Count  Rondell  half  rose 
as  he  intently  observed  the  change,  and  wondered 
vaguely  whether  he  should  speak  or  await  the  actions 
of  the  sufferer. 

The  void  expression  of  the  eyes,  now  free  of  fever, 
slowly  yielded  to  one  of  recognition  and  then  of  shame. 
A  heightened  color  mantled  the  brow  of  the  sick  youth 
and  an  elusive  twitch  upon  the  poor  lips  as  they  spoke : 
"How  are  you,  Count?  So  you  have  caught  me  at 
last?" 

The  old  man  flushed,  sank  to  his  knee  and  with  both 
arms  extended,  leaned  over  the  invalid. 

"God  greet  you,  Your  Highness!  I  am  more  than 
happy  to  have  found  you!" 

His  voice  broke  and  he  grasped  the  nerveless  hands 
of  the  youth  before  him  with  deep  emotion,  whisper- 
ing huskily,  "My  Prince — my  boy!" 

Tears  gathered  into  the  now  softened  eyes  of  the 
2 


io        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

sick  youth.  The  deep  feeling  shown  by  the  man  kneel- 
ing at  his  pallet  touched  him  keenly. 

"Do  not  grieve,  dear  Count!  I  am  not  worth  it. 
Why  should  you  weep  for  me?  Why  should  you  still 
extend  your  love  and  care  for  one  so  useless  as  I?" 

"My  Prince,  I  beseech  you,  do  not  speak  thus  of 
yourself!  Let  us  forget  what  has  passed  and  look 
forward  to  what  is  to  come.  I  am  glad  to  have  found 
you,  so  glad  to  be  with  you.  Now,  all  will  be,  must 
be,  well!" 

"No — no,  my  dearest  friend  and  guardian.  No — 
there  is  nothing  to  look  forward  to.  I  feel  that  the 
end  has  come.  I  know  I  shall  never  again  see  my 
loved  ones,  my  land,  my  king.  I  knew  it  when  they 
brought  me  here.  Ill  as  I  was,  I  was  not  unconscious. 
How  long  have  I  been  lying  here?  Raise  my  head 
so  that  I  may  look  at  you  well — and,  pray,  be  seated !" 

The  Count  gently  adjusted  the  head  and  sat  down. 

For  some  moments  not  a  word  was  spoken,  then 
the  young  man  broke  the  stillness: 

"Dear  General,  I  have  given  you  and  all  the  world 
a  great  deal  of  trouble,  have  I  not?  It  will  be  all 
over  and  done  with  soon — pray,  don't  grieve,  don't 
worry.  What  difference  will  it  make  to  the  world  or 
to  our  Roumelia  if  I  go  and  another  succeeds  to  the 
throne?  It  could  only  be  a  worthier  man  whoever 
he  may  be !  Why  should  you  waste  a  thought  on  one 
who  has  been  foolish  as  I  have  been?  Why  waste 
time  on  the  dreamy  fool  who  bartered  a  throne,  the 
love  and  respect  of  a  people,  your  friendship,  Count, 
for  the  smiles  of  a  false  woman,  a  wanton?  Have 
I  not  shown  myself  a  coward?  A  man  who  after  his 
first  failure  turned  tail  and  ran  off  like  a  sulking  boy  ? 
A  good  riddance  I  call  it!  Better  to  know  the  truth 
now  than  burden  a  hopeful  land  with  so  worthless  a 
ruler.  Do  not  weep;  truly,  I  am  not  worth  it!" 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         11 

Count  Rondell,  his  cheeks  wet  with  the  tears  that 
were  freely  coursing  down  his  now  deathly  pale  face, 
extended  his  hands  imploringly.  With  a  great  effort 
he  recovered  his  calmness,  and  vehemently  exclaimed, 
"I  beg  of  you,  my  Prince,  do  not  let  us  harp  on 
actions  which  must  have  been  beyond  your  control. 
Let  us  rather  speak  of  your  welfare  and  your  health. 
May  I  ask  you  to  look  at  it  in  this  light,  your  High- 
ness?" 

"Very  well,  my  good  teacher;  let  it  be  as  you  will. 
What  do  you  wish  me  to  say  or  tell?" 

"Your  Highness,  I  trust  and  confidently  believe  we 
shall  get  you  well  and  out  of  this  deadly  place  very 
soon.  But  you  may  shortly  relapse  into  a  fever  and 
with  it  into  unconsciousness.  I  beg  of  your  Highness 
to  state  now  what  you  wish  to  have  attended  to.  I 
ask  for  your  commands!  But  first  take  this  draught 
the  physician  has  left  for  you." 

Indifferently  at  first,  but  after  a  sip  or  two,  with 
grateful  expression  in  his  features,  the  invalid  partook 
of  the  drink. 

"Ah,  that  is  good,  General!  I  was  very  thirsty 
without  realizing  it.  Well,  there  is  really  not  much 
to  tell  and  surely  nothing  to  command.  I  am  here 
alone,  with  no  obligations  towards  anyone.  As  it 
possibly  may  be  my  last  chance,  you  may  want  to  hear 
how  I  came  to  this  place?" 

"I  beg  of  your  Highness  not  to  tell  more  than  you 
wish.  Of  course  I  shall  be  glad  to  know  your  reasons 
for  choosing  this  dangerous  country" — then  once  more 
breaking  down,  he  murmured:  "Why  did  you,  my 
boy,  why  did  you?" 

The  sick  man  lightly  pressed  the  older  man's  arm, 
letting  his  hand  rest  upon  the  sleeve.  Count  Rondell 
mutely  gazed  upon  the  suffering  youth,  and  saw  that 
the  boy  before  him  knew  the  price  he  was  to  pay  for 


12        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

his  folly,  knew  it  all — and  it  seemed  as  if  he  wanted 
to  pay  it.  Through  his  mind  there  flitted  thoughts 
of  the  futility  of  man's  plans  when  God  willed  other- 
wise. With  this  bitter  reflection  there  came  the  grief 
of  the  thought  of  the  death  of  this  young  life  that  had 
had  no  chance  for  fulfillment. 

"Count,  the  woman  who  made  me  forget  my  duty, 
who  caused  me  to  quarrel  with  you  and  his  Majesty — 
the  woman  for  whose  sake  I  was  willing  to  give  up 
honor,  glory  and  a  throne — she  was  nothing  but  a 
wanton.  I  shall  be  brief.  Returning  one  day  to  our 
villa  in  Mentone,  rather  earlier  than  usual,  I  found 
her  with  Monsieur  Goddard,  her  late  business  manager 
as  I  thought,  in  very  intimate  seclusion.  I  asked  for 
explanations — she  laughed!  The  man  had  the  best, 
the  only  right  in  the  world  to  be  intimate  with  her — 
he  was  her  lawful  husband — the  only  man  she  ever 
really  loved  and  always  had  loved.  What  cared  she 
for  a  romantic  boy — a  fooll  He  was  the  man  who 
had  introduced  me  to  her,  who  had  aided  my  wooing 
— and  who  had  conspired  with  her  to  gull  me!  Dur- 
ing the  months  I  was  whispering  words  of  love  and 
endearment  to  the  woman  I  was  craving  to  make  my 
wife,  she  and  he  were  in  a  conspiracy  to  ruin  me. 
All  they  wanted  was  my  money. 

"Humiliated  and  desperate,  I  grew  reckless.  How 
well  you  knew  it,  my  friend!  How  you  pleaded  with 
me  when  first  this  great  passion  took  hold  of  me! 
Would  I  had  listened  to  you  and  obeyed  your  wise 
counsel ;  but  it  was  too  late.  The  poison  of  this  ignoble 
passion,  which  I  mistook  for  the  holy  fire  of  love, 
had  entered  my  heart,  had  clouded  my  brain! 

"After  this  discovery — I  felt  I  had  broken  with 
everything  in  life.  As  I  sinned — I  became  reckless." 

The  sick  boy  sank  back,  breathing  hard  and  gazed 
absently  into  space.  His  friend  rose  to  soothe  his 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         13 

agitation,  but  was  arrested  by  an  imperious  motion 
of  the  feeble  hand. 

"Let  me  conclude,  General.  After  this  blow — I 
chose  to  show  that  I  cared  not  for  one  woman's  treach- 
ery— and  tried  to  prove  this  by  publicly  making  love 
to  other  women.  And  when  one  morning  my  valet 
reported  your  arrival  in  the  town,  I  felt  that  I  dared 
not  see  you,  that  I  must  flee !  That  day  I  joined  the 
troupe  of  'Le  Ballet  Occidental/  which  was  to  leave 
for  Naples.  I  joined  the  company  as  the  admirer  of 
Mademoiselle  Genee,  and  I  followed  this  troupe  to 
Alexandria  and  Cairo,  thence  to  Bombay  and  Calcutta 
— and  finally  to  Madras. 

"On  the  way  to  the  French  settlement  at  Pondi- 
sherry  I  became  very  ill  and  they  thought  it  best  to 
take  me  off  the  train  and  put  me  in  charge  of  the  hos- 
pital. And  the  first  night  I  could  bear  it  no  longer — 
they  wouldn't  give  me  morphine  to  ease  my  pain — and 
I  ran  away — and — here  I  am.  During  all  these  latter 
weeks  I  always  felt  and  sometimes  knew  that  you,  my 
dear  Count,  were  near  me — but  fate  was  against  you, 
my  would-be  saviour — against  you  and  with  me — the 
lost  one — and  so  here  I  am !" 

The  last  words  came  almost  in  a  whisper.  The 
Count  sat  still,  his  forehead  damp  with  cold  perspira- 
tion. The  young  man  had  spoken  like  a  judge  pro- 
nouncing his  own  doom ! 

He  could  not  move,  he  could  not  speak.  His  lips 
were  parched,  his  mind  numb.  He  gazed  at  the  ashen 
face  of  the  boy,  at  the  crimson  lips  of  the  smiling, 
bonny  face — God,  what  should  he  do? 

"And  now,  General,  the  last  stage  has  been  reached," 
said  the  youth  recovering  his  voice.  "All  there  is  left 
to  do  is  for  me  to  ask  your  forgiveness,  the  pardon 
of  his  Majesty,  my  uncle,  for  all  the  unhappiness 
caused  by  me.  You  have  in  the  vaults  of  the  Credit 


14        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Lyonnaise  at  Nice  my  formal  renunciation  of  all  claims 
to  the  succession  and  all  family  rights.  There  never 
was  a  marriage  between  Madelain  and  me — the  proofs 
are  with  the  Austrian  Legation  at  Rome.  Madelain 
was  paid  and  all  my  dancer  and  actor  friends  are  set- 
tled with.  Come,  General,  be  brave,  be  strong!  For- 
get me — and  if  you  can — forgive  me.  You  in  your 
wisdom  will  find  a  way  to  alter  the  succession,  per- 
haps my  little  sister  can  secure  the  dynasty.  Come, 
be  cheerful,  and  do  not  grieve.  It  is  but  a  worthless 
life  that  is  about  to  pass  out — I  have  lived  my  life — 
and  lost.  May  God  forgive  me  1" 

The  hand  clutching  the  arm  of  the  General  fell 
back.  The  Count,  in  his  agitation,  mumbled  terms 
of  love  and  endearment  as  he  eased  the  sick  boy  upon 
the  mean  couch — but  the  youth  had  swooned.  Quiv- 
ering and  faint  he  hastened  to  the  porch  and  sum- 
moned the  physicians. 

They  came  quickly,  the  Parsee  first,  who  bent 
over  the  prostrate  form.  A  light  touch  upon  the  sick 
youth's  chest  and  brow  and  Doctor  Saklava  announced 
the  fit  of  fever  had  returned.  He  begged  the  Count 
to  retire  to  the  adjoining  room  or  outdoors.  Nothing 
could  be  done;  he  would  watch  and  render  all  the 
help  needed. 

With  the  sinking  of  that  day's  sun,  in  the  meager 
light  of  a  battered  lantern,  and  attended  by  the  doc- 
tors and  servants,  General  Rondell  knelt  by  the  couch 
of  straw  and  closed  forever  the  eyes  of  the  boy  who 
was  to  have  been  his  king — but  who  had  willed  it 
otherwise.  The  falling  darkness  found  a  sad  caval- 
cade slowly  riding  back  to  Madras,  carrying  all  that 
remained  of  one  of  the  world's  chosen.  And  the  tall, 
sorrow-stricken  man  rode  on  alone  behind  and  found 
no  balm  for  his  broken  heart  in  his  thoughts. 


CHAPTER   II 

A  NARROW  strip  of  haze  above  the  western 
horizon  obscures  the  coastline  and  dims  the 
burning  rays  of  the  setting  sun.  The  blood-red 
ball,  just  visible  above  that  indefinite  line  where  ocean, 
sky  and  land  might  meet,  burnishes  the  lazy  leaden 
waves  of  the  sea,  oily  and  sluggish  as  if  affected  by 
the  oppressive  heat.  Purples  and  blues,  reds  and  greens 
vie  with  each  other  in  a  seeming  desire  to  extinguish 
the  burnt  orange  which  fades  but  slowly  and  reluc- 
tantly. Everywhere  reigns  the  deep  dusky  yellow 
heat,  with  an  utter  absence  of  either  sound  or  motion. 

It  is  as  if  a  thick  sheet  of  glass  had  been  interposed 
between  the  observer  and  the  rest  of  creation,  with 
nothing  tangible,  nothing  real  except  the  one  all-pre- 
vailing sensation  of  oppressive  heat. 

The  P.  &  O.  liner  gliding  through  the  fiery  molten 
bronze  seems  as  if  it  were  "a  painted  ship  on  a  painted 
sea" ;  its  motion  barely  perceptible,  like  that  of  a  phan- 
tom ship,  the  wake  in  its  path  but  a  feeble  streak  in 
the  dull  coloring,  and  the  funnels  reluctantly  and  faint- 
ly releasing  a  timid  cone  of  hazy  smudge. 

Dimly  outlined  against  the  Northeast  the  slowly  re- 
ceding line  of  grayish  ochre  marks  the  mute  sentinels 
of  Arabia;  to  the  West  a  heavy  bank  of  sienna-edged 
clouds  veils  the  shore  of  Dana  Kill  and  the  African 
hill  desert. 

On  the  aft  deck  are  grouped  in  nondescript  neglect 
a  few  men  in  the  uniforms  of  British  East  India 
troops.  A  stolid,  swarthy  Sikh  and  some  lean  Ben- 
gals with  their  patient,  gentle  eyes,  clad  in  filthy 

IS 


16        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

though  picturesque  garments,  huddle  in  the  shade  of 
dirty  awnings.  Forward,  the  solitary  figure  of  the 
watch  drowsily  moves  with  halting  nerveless  steps 
in  the  narrow  confines  of  his  little  realm.  All  is  per- 
vaded by  quiet  and  repose,  a  sort  of  fatalistic  waiting 
for  the  cooler  evening. 

A  man  reclining  in  a  steamer  chair  on  the  hurri- 
cane deck  is  the  one  human  being  on  the  upper  struc- 
ture of  the  vessel.  He  is  a  slender  sunburnt  man  past 
middle  age  with  commanding  features  and  a  close- 
cropped  beard  flecked  with  gray.  He  is  well  groomed 
in  immaculate  white  flannels.  The  half-hidden  gray 
fathomless  eyes,  created  to  observe  and  to  remain  dis- 
creet, the  fine  mouth  closely  compressed,  the  long  slen- 
der hands  idly  crossed  on  his  knees,  he  sits  seemingly 
as  if  in  a  dream. 

He  strikes  a  close  observer  as  one  who  could  not 
easily  be  overlooked  in  any  gathering.  His  face  would 
remain  in  the  memory — a  face  of  one  born  to  direct 
the  thought  and  work  of  others,  to  lead  and  command. 
It  shows  the  marks  of  the  inroads  of  time  and  care, 
the  severe  pallor  of  weariness  beneath  the  tan  of  ex- 
posure. His  posture  betrays  the  soldier  beaten  in  life's 
battle. 

A  nearby  cabin  door  is  opened  and  a  pleasant-faced 
young  man  in  the  uniform  of  a  ship's  officer  steps 
toward  the  dreamer. 

"How  do  you  feel  on  this  hot  afternoon,  Your  Ex- 
cellency ?" 

The  dreamer  turns  with  a  smile  and  replies,  "Very 
well  indeed,  but  a  little  lazy.  Won't  you  sit  down  a 
minute,  doctor?" 

"Thank  you,  Excellency."  Dr.  Brown,  the  ship's 
surgeon,  with  a  little  nervous  motion  and  a  quiet  apol- 
ogy, draws  a  camp-stool  near  and  seats  himself  facing 
the  older  man. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         17 

"I  have  completed  the  examination  and  analysis 
which  my  limited  equipment  permits,  Count.  I  have 
read  up  the  case  and  I  should  like  to  make  my  report. 
You  know  that  my  practice  of  late  years  has  been  re- 
stricted to  the  traveling  public,  but  I  feel  I  am  com- 
petent to  diagnose  fairly  accurately." 

"My  dear  doctor,  I  have  the  fullest  confidence  in 
your  judgment,"  with  a  deprecating  gesture. 

"I  should  say  that  owing  to  your  sojourn  in  that 
confounded  India  your  case  has  been  considerably  ag- 
gravated and  has  become  more  severe;  it  is  not  now 
acute  or  at  all  serious,  but  requires  careful  attention. 
Avoid  excitement  and  do  not  undertake  anything 
which  will  strain  your  physical  powers.  I  regret  that 
I  must  be  strict  with  you  with  regard  to  your  diet  and 
habits.  But  when  you  arrive  at  BrindisI,  go  to  Karls- 
bad, and  in  a  few  weeks  you'll  be  well  enough  to  take 
up  the  affairs  of  your  country." 

"Thank  you,  doctor.  But  to  me  time  means  the 
trust  and  perhaps  the  fate  of  others.  It  is,  therefore, 
more  than  a  question  of  self.  Doctor,  how  long  do 
you  give  me?" 

The  doctor  flushed  and  looked  pained.  "Count,  you 
must  believe  what  I  have  said.  I  will  not  hide  from 
you  that  you  are  in  a  serious  condition  but — once  you 
get  on  land  and  out  of  this  floating  inferno,  you'll  be 
as  well  as  ever,  I  think.  Don't  attempt  to  do  too  much 
now  and  don't  worry." 

"Thank  you  most  sincerely,  doctor.  Well,  I  sup- 
pose even  a  diplomat  can  live  plainly  and  give  up  wine 
and  tobacco." 

He  bade  the  doctor  a  pleasant  "au  revoir"  and  saun- 
tered toward  the  ship's  side.  In  deep  thought  he' leaned 
against  the  railing,  gazing  into  the  now  fiery  sienna 
of  the  horizon.  The  smile  on  his  lips  faded,  his  as- 
sumed indifference  had  left  him.  Deep  lines  of  care 


18        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

contracted  his  brow  and  the  eyes  looked  troubled  and 
sad. 

A  quick  step  and  a  cheerful  voice  called  out  heartily, 
"Good  evening,  Excellency!  Dreaming  or  thinking — 
or  both?" 

Heavily  set,  smooth-faced  and  jovial,  Captain  Pol- 
lard of  the  ship  walked  toward  him. 

"My  dear  Captain,  I  am  only  too  glad  to  have  you 
break  in  on  my  dreams.  They  were  not  the  rosiest 
just  now,  even  though  the  evening  looks  beautiful 
enough  to  charm  an  anchorite/' 

The  Captain  nodded  his  head.  "That  red  sky  is 
rather  a  promise  of  another  hot  day  for  to-morrow, 
Count.  In  a  few  hours  we'll  be  in  the  Red  Sea,  the 
furnace  of  creation.  I  am  afraid  to-morrow  will  be 
a  broiler.  Look,  Count,  there  to  our  left  is  the  Ras 
Sean  with  the  cloud  wreath  on  top  of  him.  In  an 
hour  we  shall  be  in  'Bab  El  Mandeb,'  the  Gate  of 
Dirge  of  the  Arab.  Gloomy  premonition,  I  call  that. 
We  are  going  fine  and  are  ahead  of  our  schedule." 

"All  right,  Mr.  Malone,  what  is  it?"  This  to  the 
officer  of  the  deck  who  was  rapidly  approaching. 

"The  pilot  is  signalling  from  Tadshurra  Bay,  sir. 
Shall  I  slow  down,  Captain?" 

"Very  well,  sir,  glad  to  get  him  promptly.  What 
is  the  boat's  number?" 

"Seven,  sir.'^ 

"Good,  that  is  old  Abdullah,  a  good  sailor  and  a 
fine  fellow.  Report  when  he  gets  aboard,  please." 

"Yes,  sir." 

The  officer  hurried  away  and  shortly  after  the  siren 
gave  two  short  blasts  and  the  boat  lost  headway. 

"May  I  join  you  for  a  bit,  Count?"  Captain  Pol- 
lard took  the  stool  vacated  by  the  doctor  following 
the  gesture  of  polite  assent  of  the  Count. 

"The  doctor's  report  left  a  bad  taste  in  your  mouth, 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         19 

eh?  If  you  don't  mind,  I'd  like  to  say  a  few  words 
more  on  this  same  subject,  your  Excellency." 

The  Captain  stuck  his  hands  deeply  into  his  coat 
pockets,  looking  straight  at  the  Count.  "You  are  an 
old  soldier  and  a  gentleman  who  knows  the  world, 
Count.  Dr.  Brown  came  to  me  this  afternoon  some- 
what worried.  He  doesn't  want  to  scare  you  need- 
lessly but  neither  does  he  intend  you  should  get  off 
the  boat  a  sick  man.  He  is  probably  a  little  over-cau- 
tious. Now,  just  to  please  us  all,  let  him  look  after 
you  until  we  land.  There  is  nothing  more  trying  after 
a  residence  in  India  than  the  passage  we  have  ahead 
of  us  for  the  next  five  or  six  days.  Do  as  Dr.  Brown 
advises  and  when  you  get  home  send  him  a  nice  letter 
telling  him  he  was  right.  Is  it  a  bargain?" 

"My  dear  Captain,  it  certainly  is;  and  I  appreciate 
your  interest  very  much  and  won't  fail  you  and  the 
good  doctor." 

He  had  regained  his  smiling  manner:  "Captain, 
why  are  we  men  such  restless  wanderers  ?  You  could 
settle  down  in  your  nice  little  cottage  at  Bournemouth, 
draw  your  pension,  trim  your  apple  trees,  read  your 
old  friend  Marryat,  chat  with  Mrs.  Pollard  and  curse 
the  Liberal  Party;  and  I — I  could  write  my  memoirs, 
raise  tulips  and  roses  and  blooded  sheep,  sneer  at  the 
Radicals  and  Progressives,  and  criticize  the  weak  pol- 
icy of  the  Hapsburgs!  .What  fun  we  could  have, 
Hein?" 

"Your  Excellency,  I  guess  we  both  do  what  we  be- 
lieve to  be  our  duty.  Neither  of  us  is  good  at  idling, 
I  think,  and  our  work  is  our  life.  Some  day  I  might 
do  as  you  say — but  I  hope  that  day  is  a  long  way  off," 
with  a  merry  chuckle. 

A  crunching  sound  against  the  ship's  side  and  the 
pilot's  dingy  pulled  by  two  powerful  negroes  had  come 
alongside.  .With  the  pilot  two  other  figures  were 


20        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

visible  in  the  dim  light.  The  nimble,  old,  beturbaned 
Arab  pilot,  with  broad  red  sash  around  his  ample  waist, 
swung  himself  aboard,  the  two  men  following  him. 

On  the*  upper  deck  the  conversation  which  had 
lagged  during  this  busy  interval  was  further  inter- 
rupted by  the  approach  of  a  steward  in  search  of  the 
Captain. 

"Two  passengers  boarded  with  the  pilot,  sir.  One 
of  them  requests  permission  to  speak  to  you  for  a 
minute,  Captain." 

"Has  the  purser  seen  him?" 

"Yes,  sir ;  but  he  asked  for  you ;  he  says  you  know 
him." 

"Very  well,  send  him  up." 

The  steward  left  and  shortly  after  a  heavily  bearded, 
well-set-up,  broad-shouldered  man,  in  rather  shabby 
linen  blouse  and  baggy  trousers,  a  pith  helmet  in  hand, 
walked  towards  the  Captain.  In  the  rapidly  failing 
light  the  deeply  tanned  features  with  calm  eyes  and 
pleasant  smile  were  just  visible.  With  hand  out- 
stretched he  stepped  up  to  the  group  and  in  a  hearty 
voice  exclaimed:  "How  do  you  do,  Captain  Pollard! 
I  was  most  anxious  to  meet  an  old  friend  again  and 
couldn't  wait.  Don't  you  remember  me,  Captain? 
The  clothes  and  beard  make  it  hard,  I  guess.  I  am 
John  Morton." 

"Why,  bless  my  soul,  I  wouldn't  have  known  you! 
My  dear  Mr.  Morton,  I  am  delighted  to  see  you!" 
He  shook  the  visitor's  hand  heartily. 

"My,  but  you  do  look  like  a  globe  trotter — and  one 
that  has  done  some  trotting!  It  is  good  to  shake  hands 
with  you  once  more  and  to  have  you  on  the  'Hindoo- 
stan.' ' 

"I  am,  indeed,  glad  to  have  the  chance  to  get  your 
boat,  Captain.  From  my  last  camp  the  bay  was  easier 
to  make  than  the  upper  Nile,  and  when  I  found  at 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         ii 

Aa-nm  that  you  were  expected  to-night,  I  made  a  run 
for  the  shore  and  was  just  in  time  for  the  pilot's  sloop. 
I  haven't  been  near  civilization  in  eighteen  months, 
Captain!  I  have  with  me  my  man,  Donald,  whom 
you  may  remember.  He  looks,  if  anything,  even  worse 
for  wear  than  I.  May  I  see  you  again  after  the  clean- 
ing-up  process,  Captain?" 

"Certainly,  my  dear  Mr.  Morton.  I  shall  be  de- 
lighted if  you  will  honor  me.  I  am  as  curious  as  an 
old  magpie  to  hear  what  brought  you  here  of  all  spots 
in  the  world!  Are  you  nicely  placed  aboard?" 

"Yes;  thank  you." 

He  made  a  movement  to  withdraw  but  Captain  Pol- 
lard took  him  by  the  arm  and  led  him  towards  the 
Count. 

"Your  Excellency,  will  you  permit  me  ?  This  is  Mr. 
Morton,  an  old  friend  of  mine,  an  American  gentle- 
man who  is  quite  a  traveler  and  explorer — his  Ex- 
cellency Count  Rondell." 

"Happy  to  make  your  acquaintance,  Your  Excel- 
lency; I  trust  you  will  pardon  my  appearance." 

"Very  glad  to  meet  you,  Mr.  Morton.  Don't  apol- 
ogize. You  look  fit  and  ready  for  good  sport." 

The  men  shook  hands.  Morton  stepped  back: 
"Gentlemen,  permit  me  to  retire.  I  trust  I  shall  have 
the  honor  later,  Your  Excellency." 

"There  goes  one  of  the  finest  young  men,"  said  the 
Captain,  looking  after  the  rapidly  retiring  form,  "a 
man  in  a  million,  Count." 

"He  looks  keen  and  strong;  a  bold  man  and  true," 
gently  said  the  Count  with  almost  a  sigh.  "Sports- 
man?" 

"I  don't  quite  know,  Count.  I  think  he  went  out 
to  explore  the  Soudan  and  the  Blue  Nile  country,  if 
I  remember  correctly.  He  comes  of  a  very  fine  family 
« — a  man  of  rare  good  judgment  and  the  very  man  to 


22         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

have  around  when  trouble  is  brewing.  Some  time  I 
will  tell  you  how  I  met  him.  If  you'll  permit  me, 
Count,  I'll  now  look  up  that  pilot.  We  are  getting 
under  way.  Good  evening,  Excellency!" 

"Au  revoir,  Captain.  I  shall  have  to  interview  the 
chief  steward  and  see  if  Dr.  Brown  will  allow  me 
another  meal  to-day." 

Now  that  he  was  once  again  alone,  the  Count  for- 
got the  evening  meal,  forgot  the  steward  and  the  man 
he  just  had  met — he  had  weightier  matters  on  his 
mind.  This  man  of  the  world,  trained  to  think  while 
chatting  and  seemingly  enjoying  small  talk — this  old 
diplomat  realized  that  he  had  arrived  at  a  parting  of 
the  ways.  The  oppressive  heat  of  earlier  day  had 
yielded  somewhat  to  the  gentle  breeze  rising  from  the 
ever-nearing  mountainous  shore.  A  brilliant  crimson 
band  silhouetted  sharply  the  deep  purple  of  Ras  Sean, 
the  bluish  haze  half  hid  the  frowning  abrupt  cliffs  of 
Perim  Island ;  the  first  twinkle  of  the  lighthouse  shone 
like  a  firefly,  coming  and  going  in  rhythmic  flashes. 
To  the  north  the  broad  dome  of  Disohebel  Mengheli 
rose  high,  the  towering  guardian  of  the  strait,  the 
dread  of  the  unwary  skipper.  Over  the  ultramarine 
hills  rose  the  red  moon  of  the  silent  East,  mysterious 
and  alluring,  the  light  of  the  romantic  night.  Count 
Rondell,  obeying  the  promptings  of  weary  limbs,  sank 
into  his  seat  and  gazed  as  if  fascinated  into  the  glory 
of  the  tropical  eve. 

The  world  was  so  beautiful  and  life  so  promising! 
Moments  of  the  years  gone  by  passed  in  rapid  suc- 
cession through  his  mind ;  the  days  of  youth  and  hope 
— the  years  of  ambition  and  fulfillment.  The  shadows 
of  beloved  faces  rose  to  disappear;  the  joy  of  deeds 
performed,  the  regret  of  acts  omitted.  As  in  a  pano- 
rama he  saw  his  life  over  again  and  lived  it  once  more. 

A  flock  of  buzzards  flying  across  the  hazy  light  of 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         23 

the  moon  that  looked  for  all  the  world  like  a  flattened 
giant  orange,  by  a  curious  disconnection  of  the  phe- 
nomenon so  well  known  to  him,  awoke  him  to  the 
present;  to  the  warning  he  had  received,  to  the  call 
of  a  life  which  was  to  end.  A  slight  tremor  passed 
over  the  frame  of  the  man,  who  seemed  to  have  aged 
considerably  within  the  last  hour. 

The  training  of  decades,  the  inbred  desire  to  sup- 
press thoughts  and  control  the  mind,  supervened.  He 
lightly  passed  his  hand  over  the  smoothening  brow, 
caressing  the  thick  hair  upon  his  temple  and  the  old 
gentle  smile  appeared  again  in  his  eyes.  "Well,  I 
have  run  a  long  race — and  on  the  homestretch  I  am 
beaten.  Vivat  sequent!"  he  whispered  to  himself. 

He  rose  and  walked  freely  to  the  rail,  contemplating 
the  wondrous  evening,  admiring  the  marvelous  light 
effects  in  the  now  rapidly  darkening  sky.  He  gazed 
at  the  minute  wavelets  springing  from  the  sides  of  the 
boat  and  spreading  their  gory  crests  endlessly  toward 
the  east,  ever  widening  and  disappearing  in  purplish 
black  shadows.  The  first  stars  as  if  by  magic  had 
leaped  upon  the  zenith,  new  born,  blinking  mockingly 
to  him. 

A  smile  gentler  than  before  illuminated  the  fine  fea- 
tures. "God  is  great,  nature  is  full  of  wonders,  and 
I  shall  not  cry  quits  and  sulk.  There  is  work  before 
you,  my  boy,  work  and  duty.  And  when  that  is  done, 
my  beloved,  I  shall  be  glad  to  join  you." 

With  a  deep  sigh  and  a  proud  smile  he  wearily 
turned  toward  the  line  of  cabins  from  whence  a  light 
step  now  proceeded. 

His  valet  came  forward,  cap  in  hand.  "Your  Ex- 
cellency, dinner  will  be  ready  in  twenty  minutes. 
Will  you  not  come  to  your  room,  sir?" 

"Very  good,  Jean;  but  I  believe  I  shall  not  dress 
to-night.  I  am  fatigued  and  I  expect  no  one  else  will. 


24         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Just  a  little  touching  up  and  a  dark  coat  and  scarf. 
I  shall  follow  you." 

Musing-,  he  turned  once  more  to  the  waters  which 
had  lost  their  mirror-like  smoothness  upon  entering 
the  narrow  channel.  Before  him  rose  the  escarpment 
of  Perim's  forts,  with  their  twinkling  lights ;  the  breeze 
carried  to  his  ears  the  bugle  call  from  the  barracks, 
the  one  discordant  sound  in  the  serene  stillness  of  the 
fairy  landscape. 

"Gate  to  an  ocean — England  will  hold  it,"  he  mut- 
tered. "Passage  to  power  and  trade — Albion  will  rule 
it.  Other  nations  may  strive  and  plan,  dream  and 
scheme,  but  Albion  takes  and  holds.  I  wonder  if, 
when  my  last  call  comes,  I  shall  find  a  Briton  guarding 
the  Pearly  Gates  ?  Well,  I  have  done  the  best  I  could 
for  my  king  and  my  country.  I  must  not  grudge  the 
men  who  have  done  theirs  for  their  queen  and  land — 
and  with  more  glorious  and  happier  results.  The  race 
is  to  the  swift,  the  laurel  to  the  victor,  glory  to  the 
lucky!  L'homme  propose,  Dieu  dispose!" 

He  gave  one  more  look  round,  turning  in  all  direc- 
tions, and  then  slowly  left  the  deck. 

The  moon  had  risen  above  the  haze  and  shone  a 
lustrous  brightness.  The  sky,  a  deep  unfathomable 
marine,  was  dotted  with  countless  blinking  stars;  the 
shimmering  sea  was  scales  of  silver;  the  hum  of  giant 
machinery  throbbed  on  the  balmy  air.  It  was  a  night 
so  glorious  that  one  doubted  if  there  could  be  any- 
thing but  beauty  and  happiness  on  earth. 

And  yet — how  much  misery  and  sorrow,  pain  and 
tears  are  mingled  with  joy  in  life!  The  lure  of  the 
East,  the  mystery  of  dreamed-of  Eden  and  with  it 
strife  and  labor!  The  nobility  of  creation,  the  pet- 
tiness of  life;  the  loveliness  of  nature,  the  emptiness 
of  man's  efforts. 

Five  bells — the  Vesper  on  shipboard. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         25 

The  muffled  call  of  the  Muezzin  from  the  nearby 
minaret  of  Perim  town  drifted  across  the  silvery 
stream. 

And  the  bells,  re-echoing  from  fore  and  aft.  seemed 
to  call  out :  "All's  well,  good  night !" 


CHAPTER   III 

AFTER  a  long,  weary  night,  made  seemingly 
longer  by  the  slow  passage  through  the  tortuous 
channels,  threatened  by  reefs  and  coral  shallows, 
the  "Gate  of  Dirge"  was  passed.  The  pilot  dropped, 
the  P.  &  O.  liner  entered  through  the  picturesque 
Dacht  il  Mayum,  the  sluggish  waves  of  the  Red  Sea. 

Through  the  wondrous  waters  the  ship  cut  her  way 
energetically.  The  moon  had  set  long  since,  the  east 
was  bathed  in  sulphur  light  and  one  by  one  the  stars 
dropped  out  of  existence. 

The  lower  decks,  forsaken  the  evening  before,  are 
now  lively  with  passengers.  The  heat  had  made  sleep 
impossible  and  now,  one  after  another,  they  came  up 
to  breathe  the  reviving  morning  air. 

What  wind  blows  is  from  the  starboard,  but  the 
port  side  is  the  shadier  for  the  greater  part  of  the 
day.  It  is  this  side  which  is  quickly  taken  possession 
of  by  the  Mohammedan  part  of  the  passengers.  The 
gaunt  Sikh,  bewhiskered  and  beturbaned,  the  Persian 
venders  with  their  fierce  mustachios  and  fiercer  eyes, 
shrewd-looking  Syrians  and  fleshy  Mamelukes,  all  con- 
gregate or  segregate  according  to  their  individual  de- 
sires, and  all  are  bent  upon  their  morning  worship. 

More  or  less  gaudily  colored  patches  of  carpets  and 
prayer  rugs  are  spread  upon  the  boards,  devout  heads 
bow  down  from  prostrate  bodies,  turned  to  the  east, 
to  the  rising  sun,  to  praise  Allah  and  to  pray  to  Mo- 
hammed his  prophet.  They  will  turn  to  the  east,  even 
though  Mecca  is  due  north  of  the  boat ! 

On  the  promenade  and  hurricane  decks  a  couple  of 

26 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         27 

early  risers  are  taking  their  constitutionals.  On  the 
bridge  strides  the  fresh-looking  skipper,  and  a  neat 
second  officer  in  glaring  white  is  adjusting  his  sextant 
as  he  awaits  the  sun's  coming.  A  few  deckhands  and 
sailors  are  holystoning  the  decks  and  adjusting  the 
striped  awnings. 

Upon  the  free  and  lofty  upper  structure  in  the  broad 
space  between  the  cabins  and  the  captain's  quarters 
some  privileged  travelers,  to  judge  by  the  important 
bearing  of  the  men  and  the  well-groomed  appearance 
of  the  ladies,  are  languidly  settling  themselves  down. 
They  show  scarce  a  sign  of  sleepless  tossing  in  heated 
berths.  One  of  these,  a  tall,  lean  man  in  Pongee,  cap 
and  scarf  to  match,  bearing  carefully  trimmed  little 
chops  below  the  grayish  hair,  is  Sir  Balingbroke-Smith, 
Under-Secretary  of  the  Colonies.  He  is  holding  forth 
to  his  daughter  Muriel  on  the  history  of  the  islands 
which  are  just  sinking  below  the  southern  horizon. 

Miss  Muriel  endeavors  to  show  some  interest,  ap- 
pearing to  listen  with  careful  attention;  but  her  eyes 
are  wandering  around  the  deck.  She  is  waiting  for 
the  appearance  of  the  stranger  who  had  come  on  board 
the  evening  before  and  whom  the  Captain  had  dis- 
cussed at  dinner.  The  new  passenger  had  declined 
coming  to  table  as  he  needed  "civilizing."  So  Captain 
Pollard  had  put  it ;  but  he  was  a  gentleman,  though  an 
American,  who  had  spent  the  last  eighteen  months  in 
the  wilds  of  the  Soudan  and  the  mountains  of  Somali, 
instead  of  lounging  at  Shepard's  Hotel  at  Cairo  or  at 
the  Casino  at  Nice.  He  was  young,  rich,  independent 
and  "as  fine  a  chap  as  ever  came  out  of  Eton  or  Ox- 
ford, my  lord." 

"Muriel  seems  tired  or  sleepy,  or  both,"  said  her 
aunt  and  duenna,  the  Hon.  Mrs.  Fitzhugh,  the  wife 
of  an  Indian  officer.  The  good  lady  was  returning  to 
winter  in  London  to  recuperate  after  a  trying  season 


28        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

with  her  husband  at  Lahore,  and  incidentally  was  act- 
ing as  chaperon  to  Miss  Muriel.  The  ladies  of  the 
group  duly  agreed.  Who  would  dare  to  differ  from 
her  ?  But  all  are  casting  side  glances  in  the  direction  in 
which  Miss  Muriel  insists  on  keeping  her  pretty  face. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Akley,  in  sober  gray,  with  solemn 
face  and  pained,  bloodshot  eyes,  is  gazing  intently  at 
a  group  of  prostrated  orientals,  a  martyr  to  faith  and 
duty.  The  latter,  however,  do  not  seem  to  mind  the 
sad,  pained  expression  in  the  eyes  of  the  churchman. 
But  even  the  countenance  of  the  reverend  gentleman  is 
somewhat  askew  from  the  vertical — since  he  also  is 
partaking  in  the  general  interest.  Will  this  much- 
talked-of  young  man  ever  make  his  appearance? 

And  now  that  the  sun  has  risen  above  the  slight 
mist  to  the  east,  chairs  are  being  pushed  into  shady 
and  cool  places.  Chatting  and  fussing  and  good-na- 
tured pushing,  the  one  business  of  the  day  must  be  at- 
tended to  first — how  to  avoid  the  heat  of  the  day. 

"It  is  going  to  be  beastly  hot!  If  one  could  but 
get  one's  Times  and  know  what  the  world  is  doing? 
Muriel,  my  dear,  if  you  insist  upon  taking  such  violent 
exercise  before  your  breakfast  you  will  not  be  really 
comfortable  for  the  rest  of  the  day.  May  I  remind 
you  that  the  next  few  days  are  the  most  trying  of  the 
voyage  and  that  the  best  means  to  make  it  bearable 
— would  be — a-a-absolute  rest — very  little  food  and 
liquid  refreshments?" 

Sir  Balingbroke  was  very  impressive.  As  breakfast 
had  been  mentioned  by  so  high  an  authority  as  the 
Under-Secretary  of  the  Colonies,  the  subject  became 
now  the  general  topic  of  conversation. 

But  the  ladies  managed  to  turn  it  into  a  more  in- 
teresting channel,  and  Sir  Balingbroke  was  gradually 
drawn  into  speaking  of  the  new  passenger  whom  he 
had  met  in  the  smoking  room. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         29 

"A  very  estimable  young  man,  I  believe;  Captain 
Pollard  tells  me  that  he  met  him  on  transatlantic  liners 
— he  says  he  is  a  well-connected,  affluent  American — 
a  Mr.  Morton,  I  think;  quite  refined  and  unassuming. 
I  understand  he  has  been  engaged  on  some  exploring 
or  observation  work  in  southern  Egypt  and  the  ad- 
jacent territory.  It  may  be — semi-officially  of  course — 
that  he  is  under  the  wings  of  the  Royal  Geographical 
Society.  He  mentioned  that  Lord  Salisbury  was  kind 
enough  to  recommend  him  to  the  authorities — expects 
to  go  to  London  to  report  the  results  of  his  research. 
Very  nice  fellow,  indeed." 

Eight  bells,  and  shortly  after  the  gong  sounds  for 
breakfast — the  first  important  function  of  the  day. 
The  little  coterie  gathered  on  the  forepart  of  the  deck 
abandon  chairs  and  troop  down  to  the  dining  saloon. 

In  the  saloon  Mr.  Morton  was  duly  presented  to 
the  ladies  at  the  Captain's  table  and  to  a  few  of  the 
gentlemen  to  whom  he  had  not  been  introduced  the 
evening  before  in  the  "smoker." 

The  Hon.  Mrs.  Fitzhugh  sarcastically  remarked  that 
there  were  still  some  men  who  were  old-fashioned 
enough  to  remain  on  deck  with  the  ladies  after  dinner 
— denying  themselves  their  whiskey  and  soda.  The 
men  thus  referred  to  tried  to  look  pleased,  but  those 
who  had  sinned  did  not  seem  to  mind  the  lady's  sar- 
casm. 

Captain  Pollard  was  evidently  taking  great  pains 
to  impress  those  sitting  around  the  table  that  Mr. 
Morton  was  a  man  of  importance.  He  singled  him 
out  in  conversation  and  gave  marked  attention  to  what 
the  traveler  said.  On  a  liner  everyone  takes  his  cue 
from  the  captain,  and  the  American  immediately  be- 
came a  full  fledged  member  of  the  select  coterie. 

Mr.  Morton  frankly  and  almost  boyishly  admitted 
his  delight  at  being  once  more  in  civilized  surround- 


30        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

ings.  He  smilingly  pleaded  guilty  to  an  enjoyment  of 
the  society  of  ladies  and  hoped  that  his  manners  had 
not  deteriorated.  The  ladies  were  charmed  with  him. 
He  was  good  to  look  at  and  his  pleasant  voice  and  de- 
lightfully sympathetic  smile  won  them  over  completely. 
His  ignorance  of  the  news  of  the  day  afforded  them 
an  opportunity  for  further  conversation,  and  he 
listened  with  an  old-world  courtesy  that  only  edu- 
cated Americans  show  to  their  women.  The  ladies 
lionized  him. 

To  the  many  inquiries  about  his  adventures  in  the 
desert,  he  answered  good-naturedly  and  in  a  rather 
off-hand  way.  Life  in  the  desert  had  its  interesting 
side  and  the  months  he  had  spent  there  had  enabled 
him  to  gather  valuable  data  which  he  expected  to  ap- 
ply to  wrork  in  the  Great  Basin  of  his  own  country, 
where  his  father  and  the  federal  government  were 
interested  in  the  question  of  irrigation.  There  had 
not  been  much  danger  in  his  adventures,  for  the  natives 
were  human  and  rather  helpful  than  otherwise. 

As  he  sat  at  table  enjoying  anew  the  amenities  of 
civilized  society,  Morton  confessed  to  himself  that 
really  the  most  important  thing  to  him  was  the  stimu- 
lating and  pleasant  expectation  of  being  soon  home 
again  among  his  own  people,  with  his  dear  mother 
and  fine-souled,  humor-loving  father.  How  pleased 
and  happy  they  would  be  to  have  him  with  them  again ! 
How  jolly  to  sit  once  more  in  the  cozy  den,  his  friends 
and  loved  ones  listening  to  his  tales  of  adventure! 
Unconsciously  his  mind  wandered  to  scenes  of  his  in- 
timate family  circle.  When  the  longing  heart  travels 
homeward,  the  half-way  inns  are  but  little  conven- 
iences on  the  journey;  we  take  advantage  of  them  be- 
cause we  must ;  always  the  heart's  eye  looks  longingly 
forward  to  its  goal — home.  His  little  sister — by 
George,  she  would  be  a  young  woman  now,  like  the 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         31 

blue-eyed,  clear-skinned  English  girl  across  the  table, 
and  better  looking,  if  the  promise  of  earlier  remem- 
brance was  to  be  fulfilled.  Two  years  do  make  a  great 
change ! 

Yes — he  must  stop  off  at  Paris  for  a  couple  of  days 
and  buy  his  sister  and  mother  something  worth  bring- 
ing home.  His  heart  grew  warm  as  he  pictured  their 
happy  eyes  and  heard  their  pleased  exclamations.  And 
his  father!  Won't  the  governor  be  proud  of  the  re- 
ports he  was  bringing  back.  Figures  don't  lie,  his 
father  used  to  say.  And  what  else  should  he  bring 
him  ?  Yes — he  would  have  to  go  to  London,  too. 

He  hoped  the  fine  old  Nubian  sarcophagus  which 
he  had  shipped  by  stealth  from  Assab  by  the  old  rascal 
Ben  Bandar  (the  old  chap  surely  dealt  in  slaves  on 
the  sly)  on  a  Greek  sailing  vessel  had  reached  New 
York  safely.  What  would  his  neighbor,  Sir  Baling- 
broke,  have  said  if  he  knew  that  the  Egyptian  custom- 
house servants  were  the  same  old  grafters  they  had 
been  before  Alexandria  was  bombarded  and  the  Khe- 
dive all  powerful  on  the  Nile? 

Almost  with  a  start  he  awoke  to  his  surroundings, 
mumbling  some  words  of  apology  for  his  absent- 
mindedness.  Mrs.  Fitzhugh  had  addressed  some  re- 
marks to  him — Miss  Muriel's  eyes  were  dancing  as 
she  smiled  wickedly  at  him.  Mrs.  Fitzhugh  haughtily 
forgave  him. 

This  meeting  at  the  table  was  the  type  of  many 
others  which  took  place  during  the  next  days,  varied 
with  some  small  talk  on  deck,  and  broken  by  some 
lengthier  and  more  interesting  conversations  in  the 
smoking  room. 

Whether  the  ladies  approved  or  not,  the  shady 
depths  of  the  small  "smoker"  on  the  upper  deck  proved 
a  veritable  Mecca  for  all  the  men.  Here  one  always 
was  pretty  sure  to  find  some  of  the  passengers  en- 


32        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

joying  their  cigars  or  cigarettes  or  even  pipes,  chat- 
ting of  trade  and  drinks,  horses  and  games,  politics 
and  policies. 

Here  was  to  be  found  the  man  who  could  foretell 
the  number  of  knots  the  boat  would  cover  that  day; 
who  knew  the  hour  they  would  sight  the  African  shore 
again.  Another  would  descant  of  the  ever-inspiring 
topic — the  great  Canal — the  time  it  took  to  go  through 
it,  the  money  a  boat  had  to  pay,  the  advantages  of 
being  on  a  British  boat  and  so  on. 

Here  also  it  was  where  Jones  told  of  Smith's  affairs 
while  the  latter  was  with  the  ladies,  where  Smith  in 
turn  was  telling  what  Jones  had  been  doing  in  India 
when  the  last-named  gentleman  had  to  obey  the  call 
of  his  better  half  and  absent  himself  from  the  round 
table.  It  was  not  long,  therefore,  before  everyone 
knew  all  about  everybody  else;  or,  at  least,  thought 
they  did. 

For  Morton  and  some  of  the  older  men  there  was 
the  evening  gathering  in  the  Captain's  roomy  cabin, 
the  exchange  of  tales  and  adventures  with  the  jolly- 
faced  seaman  and  the  recital  of  some  traveler's  tale  of 
older  days  by  some  visitor. 

From  the  Captain,  Morton  obtained  his  information 
about  Count  Rondell,  who  had  once  been  the  Captain's 
superior  officer  some  years  back,  when  the  latter  had 
been  in  the  service  of  Roumelia  as  a  nautical  in- 
structor. 

He  heard  from  Sir  Balingbroke  how,  during  the 
memorable  days  of  the  Congress  of  Berlin,  Count  Ron- 
dell,  then  at  the  head  of  the  diplomatic  corps  of  his 
little  country,  fought  hard  and  unremittingly  for  ad- 
mission to  the  inner  chambers  of  the  historic  confer- 
ence, and  how,  in  spite  of  the  weighty  opposition  of 
Giers  and  the  fact  that  he  could  not  get  official  ad- 
mission as  a  delegate,  he  had  so  won  the  esteem  of 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         33 

all  the  statesmen  there  present  that  he  had  secured  full 
independence,  autonomy  and  great  economic  advan- 
tages for  his  country,  and,  then  and  there,  had  laid 
the  foundation  of  the  kingdom  of  Roumelia. 

From  this  austere  and  cautious  member  of  the  Brit- 
ish cabinet  he  also  learned  of  the  Count's  romantic 
quest  in  eastern  lands  for  the  young  prince  who  had 
disappeared  from  home,  and  how  necessary  this  only 
heir  to  the  throne  was  for  the  continuance  of  existing 
conditions  in  the  little  kingdom.  But  Sir  Balingbroke 
could  not  say  whether  the  Count's  search  had  been 
crowned  with  success  or  not. 

Captain  Pollard  pictured  the  Count  as  a  man  of  un- 
bending character,  thoroughly  upright  and  just.  A 
man  who  ruled  at  court  with  iron  hand  but  who  had 
remained  unsullied  by  its  machinations — an  aristocrat 
in  office,  a  student  and  loving  husband  in  his  home. 
Sir  Balingbroke  nodded  his  head  emphatically  by  way 
of  confirmation  of  the  Captain's  statements. 

Morton  spent  considerable  time  in  his  own  cabin, 
tabulating  his  collected  material  with  the  help  of  his 
assistant.  During  his  absence  from  the  ship's  circle 
he  was  largely  discussed.  The  ladies  especially  were 
eager  for  information. 

All  the  skipper  knew,  it  seemed,  was  that  Mr.  Mor- 
ton was  the  only  son  of  Daniel  B.  Morton,  the  Ari- 
zona Copper  King,  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  in- 
fluential of  the  many  powerful  men  which  America's 
mineral  wealth  had  created  during  the  last  decades. 
Young  Morton  was  said  to  be  a  chip  of  the  old  block, 
well  educated,  manly  and  straight.  After  his  college 
days  at  home,  he  had  pursued  special  post-graduate 
studies  at  Oxford  and  Bonn,  and  had  prepared  him- 
self to  take  up  his  father's  work.  The  Captain  couldn't 
explain  why  the  young  man  had  gone  seemingly  on 
a  new  tack.  Rich  as  Croesus  and  living  in  a  tent  with 


34         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

no  one  but  a  man  servant  for  over  a  year!  Sir  Bal- 
ingbroke  was  puzzled. 

Count  Rondell  was  the  least  regular  attendant  at 
the  Captain's  board.  The  latter  explained  that  the 
Count's  health  was  not  good.  Dr.  Brown  had  so  re- 
ported to  him. 

Thus  the  days  of  heat  and  monotony  stretched  their 
weary  lengths.  They  passed  the  harbor  of  Dshidda 
with  its  many  picturesque  boats,  from  little  catama- 
rans to  large  clumsy  steamers.  On  the  southern  hori- 
zon disappeared  also  the  rocks  of  Yanbu  Bar,  Sudan, 
Suakim  and  Loheia.  On  the  fifth  day  after  Morton 
had  boarded  the  liner,  when  the  sea  once  more  showed 
the  fiery  red  of  sunset,  they  reached  the  head  of  the 
Gulf  of  Suez  and  the  ship  slid  carefully  into  the  basin 
which  marks  the  southern  terminal  of  the  great  Canal. 

From  Suez  town  the  lights  shot  their  sporadic  blink- 
ing; the  great  tangle  of  boats  of  all  descriptions  and 
sizes  tied  up  in  the  basin  and  adjoining  docks  began 
to  show  their  mast  lights  and  port  lamps;  the  light- 
house on  the  narrow  tongue  of  land  stretching  into 
the  shadowy  bay  sent  out  its  rhythmic  signal  flashes. 

Morton,  sitting  opposite  Count  Rondell,  gratefully 
leaned  back  in  his  flattened  steamer  chair  and  re- 
marked: "What  a  relief  to  be  so  far  north  and  at 
last  on  the  eve  of  leaving  this  insufferable  quarter 
of  the  world !  I  am  glad  to  see  a  town  once  more,  glad 
to  see  lights  and  real  streets  and  hear  real  human 
noises  even  if  they  are  as  hideous  as  these  are.  It  is 
good  to  look  up  to  the  heavens  of  our  own  familiar 
constellations  and  find  our  polar  star  promising  the  ar- 
rival home.  See,  Count,  there,  for  the  first  time,  can 
be  distinguished  all  the  stars  of  the  Big  Dipper!  The 
Southern  Cross  is  glorious,  and  I  have  admired  it 
during  many  soundless  nights  in  the  desert;  but  give 
me  our  own  starry  sky,  our  own  air,  my  own  people!" 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         35 

Count  Rondell  looked  up  with  a  smile.  "To  tell 
you  the  truth,  my  dear  sir,  I  have  traveled  along  lati- 
tudes I  never  expected  to  see  and  I  barely  noticed  the 
Southern  Cross.  I  certainly  must  be  getting  old  and 
unobservant.  But  I  can  appreciate  how  you  feel  when 
you  think  of  the  loved  ones  who  are  waiting  for  you 
in  your  distant  country,  and  to  know  that  your  com- 
ing home  means  so  much  happiness  to  them.  I  also 
am  glad  to  see  again  the  stars  of  the  north — my  stars 
— though  I  am  returning  with  a  heavy  heart. 

"I  cannot  help  thinking,"  added  the  Count,  "of  the 
part  this  waterway  has  played  in  the  history  of  the 
world's  civilization.  I  see  it  as  the  highway  of  the 
trend  westward  of  our  humanity's  progress.  You  will 
recall,  Mr.  Morton,  that  in  the  dawn  of  civilization  the 
traders  of  Egypt  brought  their  spices  and  gold  and 
ivory  from  India.  They  resigned  their  profitable  trad- 
ing to  the  shrewder  Phoenician  sailors  who  were  fol- 
lowed by  those  of  Syracuse  and  Carthage.  Then  came 
in  the  Middle  Ages  the  merchant  princes  of  the  Vene- 
tian, Pisan  and  Genoese  republics. 

"It  was  a  marine  from  this  lost  city  who,  with  the  aid 
of  Spanish  gold,  discovered  your  own  country  when 
the  trade  of  the  then  known  world  had  already  drifted 
into  the  hands  of  the  enterprising  people  of  the  His- 
parian  peninsula.  We  know  what  the  aggrieved  Por- 
tuguese and  the  stolid  Dutch  contributed  to  this  west- 
ward march;  but  then  had  to  yield,  in  their  lives,  to 
the  superior  gifts  and  stronger  physique  of  the  Eng- 
lish race. 

"Always  it  has  been  the  cry  of  the  'Westward  Ho !' 
And  it  always  will  be  so.  It  would  seem  as  if  man 
could  not  resist  following  the  path  of  the  sun.  Your 
people,  Mr.  Morton,  your  country  will  now  step  into 
the  heritage  of  the  world's  commerce.  I  am  sure  of 
it.  It  is  the  will  of  destiny." 


36         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Morton  looked  at  the  speaker  with  a  feeling-  of  awe. 
The  thought  so  clearly  developed  was  entirely  new  to 
him,  and  he  had  no  answer  to  make. 

A  bond  of  mutual  sympathy  had  grown  up  between 
the  two  men,  so  divergent  in  their  aims  and  ambitions, 
so  far  apart  in  their  ages.  The  younger  admired  the 
poise,  the  gentle  courtesy  and  faultless  manner  of  the 
elder.  He  admired  his  freedom  from  prejudice,  his 
absolute  toleration  of  the  failings  and  frailties  of 
others,  and  his  prompt,  unqualified  condemnation  of 
everything  wrong,  cowardly  and  selfish. 

The  older  man  on  his  part  had  become  strangely  at- 
tached to  this  virile,  modest  young  man  with  his  quiet 
calm  ways,  his  broad  and  sound  judgment  of  men  and 
things  and  his  democratic  heartiness,  which  Morton 
possessed  with  all  his  seeming  indifference  towards 
others.  An  affection  truly  paternal  had  been  awakened 
in  him  for  this  American  who  could  not  fail  to  repre- 
sent to  him  a  national  type.  He  had  met  but  few  of 
his  kind  and  had  to  confess  to  himself  that  in  the  past 
he  had  wronged  them  by  his  opinion.  An  American 
had  meant  to  him  an  overaggressive  boor;  but  in  this 
young  Morton  he  found  as  fine  a  gentleman  as  even 
he  could  wish  for,  a  man  also  without  the  flaws  of  arti- 
ficial mannerisms. 

He  could  not  help  comparing  him  to  the  youthful 
prince  who,  by  failing  to  suppress  a  morbid  tendency 
to  resist  authority  and  restraint,  had  brought  such  fa- 
tal consequences  upon  himself  and  his  country.  "Why 
couldn't  this  clean-cut  young  man  have  been  of  the 
line  of  the  King's  dynasty?"  he  asked  himself  despair- 
ingly. 

The  subject  discussed  by  the  two  had  been  of  a 
broad  character  and  general  interest.  Just  before  the 
interruption  caused  by  the  sight  of  land,  they  had 
been  talking  about  the  great  similarity  in  the  desires 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER        37 

and  aims  of  all  people.  Morton,  who  had  intimated 
that  his  isolation  in  the  desert  had  been  somewhat  of 
an  intentional  retirement  to  study  himself  and  his  own 
duty  toward  his  country,  had  expressed  himself  in 
ways  highly  interesting  to  his  companion.  Return- 
ing to  the  subject,  Morton  said: 

"It  is  remarkable  that  the  seeming  great  dif- 
ferences between  races  and  tribes  are  but  outward 
and  rather  in  their  customs  and  habits  than 
in  their  mental  processes.  I  believe  that  the  es- 
tablished use  of  the  dromedary  as  a  beast  of 
burden,  the  necessity  of  living  in  tents  owing  to  the 
absence  of  water  courses  and  springs,  the  diet  of  fruits 
and  sweetmeats,  are  really  the  things  that  remove 
the  Arabs  of  Africa  from  the  Europeans  far  more  than 
their  actual  thoughts,  their  ambitions  and  emotions. 
These  outward  signs  are  what,  next  to  language,  strike 
us  first  as  distinguishing  marks.  Once  we  get  over 
these,  to  me  at  least,  minor  characteristics,  it  is  sur- 
prising how  easy  it  would  be  to  trace  the  course  of 
their  thoughts,  their  actions,  as  running  on  lines  al- 
most similar  to  those  that  actuate  the  Frenchman  or 
Italian  or  even  the  man  from  more  northern  countries. 
I  have  found  love  of  truth,  manliness  and  honesty, 
pride  of  descent,  loyalty  to  kindred,  affection  for  one's 
own  offspring,  appreciation  of  learning,  strong  traits 
with  these  primitive  men ;  while  gluttony,  drunkenness 
or  license  in  almost  any  form  is  entirely  absent  from 
the  nature  of  these  children  of  the  desert" 

Count  Rondell  had  listened  with  close  attention  to 
Morton's  remarks.  "There  is  no  doubt,"  he  said, 
"much  truth  in  your  observation,  my  friend.  To  me 
it  has  ever  been  a  matter  for  wonder  how  short  the 
step  is  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest.  I  am  a  mem- 
ber of  a  proud  aristocracy  and  have  been  called  the 
'Kingmaker,'  and  yet  I  confess  that  beneath  the  outer 


38         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

skin  of  manners  and  polished  bearing  there  is  often 
but  common  clay — indeed,  the  common  man  frequently 
gains  by  being  compared  to  his  more  exalted  brother. 
I  remember,"  he  continued,  thoughtfully,  "our  party 
was  very  much  entertained  in  Paris  by  the  fine  play 
of  a  small  band  of  Gypsies  then  performing  at  our 
favorite  restaurant.  One  evening,  while  giving  the 
customary  douceur  to  the  leader,  I  asked  him  for  his 
address  as  it  was  my  intention  to  engage  his  orchestra 
for  some  small  affair.  The  man  could  not  write,  and 
he  asked  me  to  put  his  address  into  my  memorandum 
book.  He  owned  but  a  single  name.  His  pockmarked 
face,  his  little  beetle  eyes  and  low  forehead  gave  but 
scant  promise  of  intelligence.  I  asked  him  some  ques- 
tions about  his  life  and  ambitions — the  man  grew  quite 
loquacious.  He  liked  France  and  the  French,  He 
made  a  nice  living,  he  had  saved  quite  some  money, 
had  a  good  and  thrifty  wife,  a  cozy  apartment  and 
many  comforts.  The  one  thing  which  marred  his 
happiness  was  the  sad  fact  that  his  marriage  had 
proved  childless.  The  'bon  Dieu'  had  not  blessed 
them.  But  for  that  he  would  not  change  with  the  man- 
ager of  the  hotel  or  any  other  man  in  Paris!  I  was 
deeply  impressed  because  my  own  king  had  said  the 
same  words  to  me.  But  still,  my  dear  Mr.  Morton, 
blood  will  tell.  And  a  nobleman  is  the  product  of 
many  generations  of  thought,  virtue  and  manliness." 

Morton  nodded  thoughtfully  as  he  lighted  a  cigar. 
Both  remained  silent.  From  the  shore  came  the  sounds 
of  murmuring  crowds,  the  splashing  of  oars,  the  shrill 
tones  of  muleteers  and  the  hoarse  laughter  of  negroes. 
Then  followed  the  clanking  of  chains,  the  straining  of 
ropes,  a  few  short  commands  from  the  bridge  and  the 
anchors  had  dropped. 

Everyone  was  delighted  to  have  reached  another 
milestone  in  the  long  journey  home.  Passengers  were 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         39 

discussing  as  to  whether  they  should  continue  in  the 
"Hindoostan"  or  take  the  night  train  to  Ishmaila  or 
Alexandria.  Perhaps  there  might  be  some  excitement 
in  Suez,  or  at  Port  Said?  Congestion  of  traffic  in 
those  days  delayed  the  passage  through  the  Canal  and 
even  the  P.  &  O.  liner  might  lose  two  days. 

Stewards  passed  back  and  forth,  in  and  out  of  sa- 
loons, and  announced,  in  loud  voices  and  in  intona- 
tions ranging  from  Cockney  to  the  resonant  drawl  of 
Aberdeen,  "Mail  distributed  in  Purser's  office  at  6.30." 
One,  more  respectful  than  the  rest,  approached  the 
Count,  "Your  Excellency,  the  chief  has  cables  for  you ; 
shall  I  bring  them  to  you?"  The  Count  rose  and  with 
a  courteous  leave  went  to  the  purser's  cabin. 

Morton,  to  whom  the  sights  were  not  novel,  leaned 
over  the  starboard  side,  looking  toward  the  quiet  dark 
waters  of  the  bay.  He  thought  over  the  past  few  days 
of  his  life  on  shipboard,  the  acquaintances  he  had 
made,  and  the  new  experiences  that  had  come  to  him. 
How  strange  these  all  were !  What  would  they  mean 
to  him  in  after  years  ?  Then  thoughts  of  home  surged 
over  him,  and  a  great  longing  seized  him  to  be  there 
again.  If  he  took  the  express  boat  from  Alexandria 
he  would  be  in  Brindisi  in  time  to  take  the  train  for 
Paris — and  then  London,  and  then  the  Cunarder  for 
home — New  York  by  the  twentieth — and  a  whole 
month  before  Christmas!  Christmas — and  the  snow! 
He'd  cable  and  advise  his  folks.  No,  perhaps  he'd 
better  wait  for  his  mail.  His  eyes  wandered  back  to 
the  deck  below  and  saw  his  man  leaning  against  the 
bulwark.  He  gave  a  low  whistle  and  addressed  the 
upturned  face :  "Don,  I  am  going  down  to  get  the  mail. 
Shall  I  bring  you  yours  ?" 

"Allright,  Mr.  John,  thank  you.  There  won't  be 
much  to  carry  when  you  get  it,  I  guess.  Haven't 
many  correspondents  these  days." 


40        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

"I'll  see  you  in  the  smoker,  Don." 

The  mail  he  received  was  more  voluminous  than  he 
had  expected.  There  were  several  letters,  some  with 
dates  months  back,  and  a  cable. 

He  retired  into  a  quiet  corner  of  the  smoking  room. 
Don  was  there  and  handing  him  one  lean  looking  let- 
ter, he  excused  himself  and  broke  the  seal  of  the  cable. 
It  was  but  one  day  old.  "Glad  know  you  out  of  desert 
well  and  homeward  bound.  Mother  sister  well.  Send 
love.  Am  not  very  well  myself.  Better  hurry  home, 
boy." 

Mechanically  he  look'ed  for  the  signature  which  was 
lacking.  It  seemed  less  personal  without  his  father's 
name,  and  he  was  puzzled  that  his  father  had  not  used 
the  code. 

The  letters  contained  nothing  but  good  tidings. 
There  was  no  reference  to  his  father's  health  except 
in  the  one  from  his  mother  bearing  the  latest  date. 
She  wrote :  "Father  seems  quieter  than  usual  and  some- 
what restless.  Nothing  wrong  but  the  doctor  advises 
putting  off  his  usual  trip  to  the  Rockies  for  the  present 
and  would  like  to  see  him  go  South  before  the  cold 
weather  sets  in.  We  expect  to  leave  Bar  Harbor 
earlier  than  usual  and  go  to  Cleveland  before  the 
middle  of  October  as  father  would  be  more  happy  if 
we  joined  him  there.  If  you,  my  dear  boy,  could  get 
home  in  time,  we  might  spend  Christmas  in  Cali- 
fornia together  and  for  once  escape  the  cold  of  the 
lakes." 

Morton  grew  pensive ;  he  had  never  before  given  a 
thought  to  his  father's  health.  His  father  had  always 
seemed  to  him  as  young  as  ever  and  a  more  rugged 
and  sturdy  man,  a  man  of  better  habits  could  not  be 
found.  He  hoped  the  plaintive  word  meant  nothing — 
nothing  but  the  longing  of  the  old  man  for  his  son. 
Still — he  guessed  it  was  time  for  him  to  step  in  and 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         41 

ease  the  governor's  burden.     After  all — what  better 
work  could  he  do? 

He  lay  back,  smoking  and  dreaming,  somewhat  in 
revival  of  his  solitary  habits  of  the  past  months,  and 
abandoned  himself  once  more  to  the  charm  of  being 
alone — alone  with  his  thoughts  and  removed  from 
undesired  companionship. 

After  an  hour  or  so  he  rose  and  went  to  his  cabin, 
where  he  threw  himself  on  his  couch.  Unable  to  rest, 
he  busied  himself  with  a  survey  of  his  few  belongings 
that  might  need  packing.  Then  nervously  drawing  up 
a  table  he  began  working  on  his  report.  But  he  could 
not  collect  his  thoughts.  Evidently  he  was  not  in  the 
humor.  He  was  about  to  put  his  things  away  pre- 
paratory to  trying  once  more  the  darkened  deck,  when 
the  door  opened  and  a  steward  entered  with  a  note. 

In  the  envelope  he  found  a  card  bearing  the  inscrip- 
tion: 

"Count  Arnim  Barton-Rondell." 
and  on  the  reverse  side  in  a  precise  clear  handwriting, 
"May  I  request  you  to  call  at  my  cabin  at  your  con- 
venience ? — Rondell." 

Morton  hesitated  but  an  instant.  "Tell  his  Excel- 
lency I  shall  be  with  him  right  away." 

Anything  was  better  than  this  moping,  and  the 
Count  was  the  very  companion  to  brush  away  the  cob- 
webs from  his  mind.  He  stuffed  his  papers  into  the 
nearest  table  drawer,  gave  a  cursory  examination  to 
his  appearance  before  the  mirror,  locked  his  cabin  door 
and  sauntered  over  to  the  Count's  quarters. 

Why  had  Count  Rondell  sent  for  him?  He  won- 
dered. 


CHAPTER   IV 

WHEN  Morton  entered  Count  Rondell's  state- 
room he  found  him  standing  behind  a  small 
flat  desk  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  his  com- 
manding, almost  gaunt  figure  erect  and  tense.  As  he 
looked  at  the  man,  he  experienced  the  same  peculiar 
sensation  he  had  felt  upon  receipt  of  the  message  ask- 
ing him  to  call — a  sense  of  indefinable  anxiety  mingled 
with  curiosity. 

In  response  to  an  expressive  motion  of  the  slender 
pale  hands  he  seated  himself  opposite  the  Count.  His 
eyes  slowly  traveled  around  the  stateroom  and  noted 
its  appearance  in  some  detail. 

Two  swinging  bracket  lamps  lit  up  the  wall  to  his 
right,  leaving  the  lower  part  of  the  room  in  deep 
shadow.  The  stateroom  itself,  somewhat  roomier 
than  the  customary  steamer  cabin,  had  been  trans- 
formed into  a  rather  pleasing  den.  Along  the  lighted 
walls  a  low  couch  in  some  dark  plush  was  enlivened 
by  the  brilliant  coloring  of  a  leopard  skin  thrown  care- 
lessly over  the  back  and  by  a  saddle  bag  in  bright 
crimson  and  gold.  Above  it  were  fastened  a  garniture 
of  Persian  helmet,  shield  and  battle-axe,  the  gold 
inlay  upon  the  damascene  scintillating  in  the  slightly 
moving  light  which  fell  upon  it. 

The  floor,  covered  with  a  soft  rug  in  deep  maroon 
and  with  tan  arabesques  in  design,  contrasted  oddly 
with  the  green  baize  of  the  traveling  desk  piled  with 
books  and  portefeuilles.  A  curiously  wrought  bronze 
lamp  shed  a  bright  circle  of  light  over  it;  an  unusual 

42 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         43 

article  of  furniture,  it  struck  Morton,  to  take  on  a 
voyage.  It  was  a  handsome  thing  and  he  made  a 
mental  note  to  obtain  one  like  it.  His  glance  now 
rested  upon  the  figure  and  face  of  the  Count,  who  had 
sat  himself  in  his  deep,  low  chair  and  was  resting  his 
hands  upon  his  knees. 

"You  will  forgive  an  old  and  ailing  man,  my  dear 
Mr.  Morton,  for  making  the  most  of  his  privileges  as 
such.  I  trust  my  request  to  have  you  call  has  not  in- 
convenienced you?" 

"Not  at  allj  Excellency;  I  was  glad  to  come." 

"Thank  you.  It  may  not  be  considerate  of  me  to 
ask  you  here — but  I  believe  you  won't  mind  the  lim- 
ited space  and  closed  portholes.  I  imagine  your  camp 
life  has  accustomed  you  to  a  great  extent  to  discomfort 
and  heat.  What  I  want  to  say  to  you  demands  pri- 
vacy." 

He  paused  and  continued.  "Mr.  Morton,  I  beg  you 
to  permit  me  to  approach  what  I  wish  to  say  in  my 
own  way,  even  if  it  may  seem  odd  and  unwarranted 
to  you." 

"Go  ahead,  Your  Excellency,  I  am  listening." 

The  older  man  leaned  back  and  pushed  a  box  of 
cigars  toward  his  visitor.  "Won't  you  take  one?  I 
think  you  will  like  the  flavor." 

His  voice,  until  now  somewhat  strained,  had  be- 
come calm,  and  with  an  assumed  nonchalance  of  man- 
ner, he  added: 

"I  was  told  by  the  steward,  Mr.  Morton,  that  you 
had  received  considerable  mail  and  some  cables  upon 
our  arrival  here.  Does  the  receipt  of  these  in  any  way 
alter  your  plans,  which  you  were  so  good  as  to  intimate 
to  me  the  other  evening  ?  Pardon  the  question,  but  it 
is  necessary  that  I  should  know  in  view  of  what  I 
wish  to  say." 

"It  does,  Your  Excellency.     My  letters  from  home 


44         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

are  of  little  moment,  but  a  cable,  sent  some  two  days 
ago,  I  think,  tells  me  that  my  father's  health  is  not  sat- 
isfactory and  asks  my  quick  return." 

"Ah,  that  makes  it  more  difficult,  then,  for  me  to 
speak  of  what  lies  close  to  my  heart,  my  dear  sir.  But 
necessity  knows  no  law  and  I  am  in  the  position  of 
a  man  who  has  no  choice.  Mr.  Morton,  I  beg  you  to 
let  me  say  a  few  words  to  you,  in  the  hope  that  you 
will  grant  me  your  attention  and — if  possible,  sym- 
pathy." 

Morton  nodded  and,  reaching  for  the  cigars,  selected 
one  at  random  and  carefully  lit  it.  "Very  fine  aroma 
indeed,  Count;  I  haven't  had  as  good  a  smoke  as  this 
in  many  a  day.  Please  begin;  I  am  all  attention." 

The  Count  nodded  and  began :  "More  than  twenty- 
five  years  ago  my  king,  then  a  young  and  little  known 
prince  of  the  Coburg  family,  was  called  to  the  throne 
of  Roumelia  by  the  vote  of  its  people.  Among  the 
younger  men  whom  he  asked  to  join  him  in  this  new 
country  to  aid  him  in  establishing  a  good  government, 
I  was  one.  I  was  a  young  Army  officer  at  the  time, 
with  little  ambition  and  with  scarcely  any  diplomatic 
experience.  I  settled  down  in  the  new  country.  I 
was  very  enthusiastic,  a  prerogative  of  youth  the  world 
over,  and  became  very  much  enamored  with  my  work. 
Since  then  I  have  been  very  closely  bound  up  with  the 
fortunes  of  Roumelia  and  those  of  my  king.  I  was 
one  of  the  few  of  my  Prince's  Court  who  succeeded 
in  gaining  the  confidence  of  the  Roumelians.  I  ac- 
quired their  language  and  customs  thoroughly.  I  suc- 
ceeded in  gaining  the  friendship  of  some  of  the  leading 
men  of  all  parties.  I  won  the  respect  and  I  think  even 
the  love  and  perhaps  the  admiration  of  the  Court  by 
my  loyalty  to  the  cause  of  the  country,  my  devotion 
to  my  duties,  my  work  and  my  fidelity  to  the  inter- 
ests of  the  principality  and  later  the  kingdom,  the  ere-  s 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         45 

ation  and  growth  of  which,  I  may  be  permitted  to  say, 
may  be  due,  in  a  small  measure,  to  my  efforts. 

"My  king,  God  bless  him,  one  of  the  noblest  men 
who  ever  lived,  was  kind  to  me  and  trusted  me  im- 
plicitly. The  work  to  which  I  had  devoted  my  life 
was  successfully  done ;  the  dynasty  of  my  king  firmly 
established :  a  clean,  fine  constitution,  safe-guarding 
the  interests  of  the  people  and  assuring  the  welfare 
and  development  of  my  country,  strongly  founded. 
The  one  cloud  in  the  blue  sky  of  destiny  was  the  lack 
of  a  son  and  heir. 

"Many  years  ago,  his  majesty  assenting,  we  secured 
an  amendment  to  our  laws  of  succession,  by  which  the 
King's  brother  was  to  be  his  heir,  thus  securing  the 
succession  to  a  younger  brother  and  through  him  to 
his  son,  then  a  youth  of  health  and  promise.  Thus 
far  our  work  in  perpetuating  a  dynasty  had  been 
wisely  and  well  done.  Do  I  weary  you  with  these 
particulars,  Mr.  Morton?" 

"Not  at  all ;  I  am  more  than  interested ;  I  am  learn- 
ing. Please  continue!"  The  Count  smiled  and  went 
on: 

"This  structure,  which,  as  I  explained  before,  was 
of  the  utmost  importance  to  a  still  broader  plan,  was, 
in  this  manner,  erected  as  we  felt  on  a  firm  foundation. 
Our  land  had  developed  wonderfully;  from  an  almost 
unknown  Turkish  province  in  1866  we  had  created  a 
principality  of  several  millions  of  frugal,  thrifty  and 
moral  inhabitants,  engaged  in  fostering  trade  and  agri- 
culture. We  built  railroads  and  highways,  opening 
the  country  to  foreign  intercourse  and  markets ;  we  laid 
telegraph  lines  connecting  all  corners  of  the  land;  we 
also  introduced  and  firmly  established  an  efficient 
school  system.  In  brief,  we  transformed  into  a  com- 
munity of  order  and  civilization  a  previously  chaotic 
Turkish  dependency.  A  dozen  years  after  the  begin- 


46         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

ning  of  our,  I  might  almost  say,  my  work,  we  fought 
a  glorious  and  victorious  war  against  our  old  oppres- 
sors and,  although  the  jealousy  and  greed  of  the  great 
Powers  robbed  us  of  the  full  reward  of  our  victory; 
although  the  very  nation  whom  we  enabled  to  win 
what,  without  our  aid  and  valor,  they  would  have  lost, 
deprived  us  of  some  of  our  territory,  yet  we  grew  in 
wealth,  education  and  well  being.  When  my  prince 
was  acclaimed  constitutional  king  of  the  realm  he  had 
created,  I,  his  servant,  was  rewarded  by  being  chosen 
his  faithful  adviser  and  friend.  Honored  and  trusted 
for  many  years,  I  believe  I  helped  to  form  and  execute 
those  policies  that  I  feel  went  far  toward  the  estab- 
lishment of  peace  and  happiness  in  our  beloved  king- 
dom." 

Count  Rondell  rose  to  his  feet  and  strode  the  floor 
of  his  cabin  agitatedly.  Resuming  his  seat  after  a 
while,  he  smiled  pathetically  at  the  younger  man,  and 
said :  "Pray  pardon  me,  Mr.  Morton ;  my  feelings  get 
the  better  of  me,  I  am  afraid.  My  disease  seems  to 
have  made  sad  inroads  on  me.  Shall  I  go  on  ?" 

"Pray  do,  Count  Rondell.  Don't  disturb  yourself 
about  me.  I  am  all  ears." 

The  Count  crossed  his  legs  and  closing  his  eyes 
turned  his  face  upward.  His  cheeks,  lately  flushed 
and  feverish,  now  looked  drawn  and  gray.  Reaching 
for  a  portfolio  he  began  automatically  fingering  its 
lock.  Then  with  eyes  wide  and  in  a  voice  husky  with 
emotion,  he  said : 

"I  now  come  to  a  dark  chapter,  my  young  friend. 
Men  work  day  and  night,  plan  and  scheme,  bribe  and 
lie — all  for  fame  and  their  country.  The  plans  seem 
perfect,  their  execution  faultless,  the  road  to  certain 
success  assured — and  then  a  little  thing  happens,  a 
bolt  becomes  loosened,  some  man  or  woman  fails  you 
or  steps  unexpectedly  on  the  scene — et  voila! — the 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         47 

perfect  structure  is  but  a  house  of  cards — and 
tumbles. 

"And  this  usually  comes  when  the  architect  has 
passed  his  prime;  when  the  resisting  power  of  the 
body  has  been  sapped  by  the  wearisome  labor.  When 
this  crisis  comes,  instead  of  a  strong  man,  it  finds  the 
statesman  at  a  terrible  disadvantage,  perhaps  with 
mind  still  active  and  resourceful — but  oh,  feeble  and 
powerless  against  fate." 

Count  Rondell  spoke  the  last  words  as  if  in  a  trance. 
He  had  evidently  forgotten  the  existence  of  his  com- 
panion. He  seemed  to  be  lost  in  visions  and  dreams. 

Morton's  cigar  had  gone  out;  he  stared  as  if  fas- 
cinated at  the  noble  face  before  him,  looking  so  sad 
and  forlorn.  He,  too,  had  often  wandered  into  the 
spheres  of  empire  building.  He,  too,  had  had  his 
dreams  of  being  a  leader  of  peoples,  of  opening  up 
those  vast  desert  spaces  of  his  own  country  to  the 
influences  of  civilization.  Without  knowing  what 
tragedy  was  to  be  unfolded  to  him,  he  looked  at  the 
worn  old  aristocrat  across  the  desk  and  felt  that  fail- 
ure and  disappointment,  rather  than  success,  were 
oftener  the  reward  of  great  ambitions.  He  essayed 
a  mental  guess  at  what  might  be  further  revealed  to 
him  and  awaited  the  rest  of  the  tale  with  bated  breath. 

After  a  slight  pause  the  Count  relaxed  his  tightly 
compressed,  bloodless  lips  and  went  on: 

"My  king  was  getting  old;  his  brother  had  never 
been  capable  or  active;  he  was  just  a  gentleman  of 
leisure — and  the  promising  boy? — I  wish  it  were  not 
necessary  for  me  to  go  into  this  chapter  of  our  history. 
The  boy,  a  lovable,  fine  young  man,  the  pride  of  his 
parents  and  of  his  uncle  the  king,  the  idol  of  the  coun- 
try and  my  hope — the  boy  fell  in  love  with  a  heartless 
and  scheming  adventuress.  She  broke  his  heart, 
brought  our  finely  wrought  plans  to  naught,  and  the 


48         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

youth  to  his  end.  Four  weeks  ago  I  closed  the  tired 
eyes  of  my  Prince — closed  them  in  a  squalid  hut  in 
Madras,  where,  after  an  unceasing  hunt  of  months,  I 
found  him.  I  was  too  late  to  save  him  for  this  world 
— I  hope  I  preserved  his  soul  for  the  next — for 
heaven  1" 

Count  Rondell  raised  his  hand  to  his  brow  as  if 
making  the  sign  of  the  cross.  Absent-mindedly  he 
stroked  his  hair,  while  a  melancholy  smile  came  to 
his  lips.  "May  God  be  merciful  to  him !"  he  breathed, 
a  tear  in  his  eye. 

With  deeper  feeling  and  a  vibrant  voice,  he  went  on : 

"Our  house  of  cards  had  fallen.  My  labors  were 
all  in  vain,  my  mission  a  failure  and,  perhaps,  my  life 
also.  You  are  still  patient,  my  friend,  are  you  not?" 

Morton  leaned  across  the  desk,  lightly  touching  the 
other  man's  arm  with  an  encouraging  pressure.  "You 
did  the  best  your  wisdom  dictated,  Your  Excellency. 
Regrets  are  useless  now.  It  may  be  there  is  a  silver 
lining  to  your  dark  cloud.  Please,  go  on  with  your 
tale." 

"Well — thus  far  I  have  been  relating  to  you  the  his- 
tory of  Roumelia,  the  rise  and  fall  of  my  chosen 
fatherland.  Now  we  reach  the  last  chapter — the  day 
we  are  living  now.  Will  you  not  light  a  fresh  cigar, 
my  dear  Mr.  Morton?  Permit  me  to  retire  for  a 
moment." 

Going  to  his  sleeping  room,  Count  Rondell  filled 
a  goblet  of  water  and  drank  feverishly.  Morton  lit  a 
cigar  the  while  he  watched  the  Count  sinking  back  into 
his  seat. 

The  stateroom  had  become  very  close  and  oppressive. 
No  sound  but  the  rhythmical  beat  of  the  auxiliary 
engine,  rather  felt  than  heard,  fell  upon  the  ear.  The 
steady  yellowish  light  on  the  wall  threw  into  relief 
the  ghastly  features  of  the  old  diplomat;  the  smoke 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER        49 

from  Morton's  cigar  hung  heavily  against  the  ceiling, 
taking  odd  and  fantastic  shapes.  The  younger  man 
was  strangely  moved.  What  a  terrible  drama  had 
been  laid  bare!  He  could  not  take  his  eyes  away 
from  the  pitiful  figure  before  him — the  old  nobleman 
looking  the  very  picture  of  despair. 

"I  am  coming  now  to  the  last  chapter,  Mr.  Morton. 
A  few  hours  ago  I  received  two  cables  informing  me 
of  events  which  have  happened  during  my  absence. 
The  earlier  cable  says,  in  substance,  in  code  of  course, 
that  within  the  last  ten  days  a  revolt  had  occurred  in 
the  capital.  Rumors  of  the  heir's  disappearance  had 
emboldened  the  disaffected  factions  of  the  .kingdom, 
who  struck — and  struck  fearfully!  The  king  had  al- 
ways lived  simply — and  trusted  his  people  and  his 
army.  The  few  palace  guards  were  easily  over- 
powered; the  king  was  taken  prisoner  and  with  him 
his  consort.  The  ministers  of  state  were  forced  to 
resign,  a  de  facto  republican  government  was  pro- 
claimed, and  Demeter  Sturdza,  the  leader  of  the  Radi- 
cals, an  old  schemer  and  a  villain  masquerading  as  a 
patriot,  has  been  appointed  acting  President.  Every- 
thing is  in  chaos.  The  later  cable  is  still  more  dis- 
tressing. A  trusty  friend  of  mine,  the  late  minister  of 
Finance,  sends  it  to  me  from  Constantinople,  to  which 
place  he  has  flown.  He  is  one  of  the  few  of  the  old 
administration  who  escaped." 

The  Count  opened  the  portfolio  nervously,  took 
some  papers  lying  on  top,  and  with  trembling  hands 
adjusted  his  glasses.  After  a  futile  attempt  to  read 
he  resignedly  put  both  papers  and  glasses  down  and 
with  a  pitiful  gesture  resumed  his  narrative. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Morton — I  cannot  read  it — I  shall 
have  to  give  you  the  contents  from  memory.  The 
fearful  facts  are  engraven  on  my  mind  only  too  deeply! 
The  king  has  been  assassinated — the  queen  is  dead 


50        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

from  shock.  Prince  Fernand  was  shot  down  in  cold 
blood  by  a  drunken  Colonel  of  the  Territorials,  the 
ministers  and  counsellors  are  either  dead,  imprisoned 
or  fugitives.  The  army,  at  first  indifferent,  is  now 
obeying  the  newly  formed  government.  The  country 
has  been  isolated  from  the  rest  of  the  world,  as  the 
wires  were  cut.  Martial  law  prevails  and  a  reign  of 
terror  instituted.  The  property  of  the  old  regime  has 
been  confiscated." 

The  old  diplomat  had  risen  before  he  finished  his 
recital,  staggered  nervously  and  weakly  to  and  fro, 
and,  leaning  on  the  back  of  his  chair,  he  spoke  the 
last  words  in  jerky  sentences. 

"There  remains  the  only  member  of  the  Royal  fam- 
ily— a  lovely  young  girl — a  mere  child — the  sister 
of  the  unfortunate  boy  I  had  seen  die.  This  innocent 
princess  is  without  friend  or  protector.  She  has 
found  a  precarious  refuge  in  the  summer  castle  of 
the  late  prince  in  the  hills  of  the  North.  When  this 
cable  was  sent  she  was  alive  and,  although  deprived 
of  her  freedom,  still  unharmed. 

"The  poor  girl  has  no  knowledge  of  life,  and  is 
utterly  helpless.  Reared  in  the  seclusion  of  the  court 
under  the  care  of  the  late  queen — a  most  noble  and 
saintly  lady — she  is  still  but  a  child  in  experience. 
She  was  my  beloved  king's  favorite — a  beautiful,  pure 
girl,  a  noble  princess.  She  must  not  perish !" 

Morton  felt  dizzy  and  sick.  His  cigar  had  gone  out 
long  since.  He  had  almost  ceased  to  think  or  feel. 
With  a  great  effort  he  pulled  himself  together,  and 
staring  fixedly  at  his  narrator,  murmured  thickly: 
"Why — why  do  you  tell  me  of  all  these  fearful  things  ? 
What  do  you  want  from  me?" 

Count  Rondell  came  to  a  stop  at  his  desk  and,  lay- 
ing his  hands  upon  the  back  of  the  chair,  said  quietly : 

"Mr.  Morton,  I  am  a  doomed  man.     The  doctor 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         51 

tells  me  I  have,  at  best,  but  a  very  little  while  to  live — 
and  I  feel  he  is  right.  I  would  not  hesitate  an  instant 
to  do  what  is  my  duty — but  I  know  I  cannot.  My 
weak  body  will  not  obey  my  will.  You  are  young, 
strong  and  resourceful.  God  has  led  you  to  this  boat, 
led  you  to  me  in  my  hour  of  great  need.  Mr.  Mor- 
ton, I  ask  you,  in  the  name  of  humanity,  to  rescue  the 
girl  from  the  fury  of  an  insane  populace — from  the 
nameless  horror  that  might  be  her  fate — I  ask  you, 
my  friend,  to  take  my  place  and  bring  this  girl  safely 
out  of  Roumelia !" 

He  waved  aside  Morton's  protesting  gesture  and 
continued  with  deep  emotion  but  with  impressive  dig- 
nity: 

"Pray — my  dear  sir — do  not  answer  me  now.  Take 
it  under  consideration.  In  an  hour,  two  hours  if  you 
wish,  let  me  know  your  decision.  Do  not  act  on  the 
spur  of  the  moment." 

Morton  could  hardly  restrain  himself.  He  felt  he 
could  not  wait.  Rising  nervously,  he  exclaimed,  his 
voice  filled  with  indignation: 

"Count  Rondell,  this  is  not  fair !  Why  do  you  come 
to  me,  a  stranger,  with  so  impossible,  so  absurd  a 
proposition?  What  right  have  you  to  unload  your 
burden  upon  a  chance  acquaintance  and  put  the  blame 
of  a  possible  fearful  fate  of  a  young  girl  at  my  door — 
my  door  of  all  men?  What  do  I  know  of  kings  and 
princes  ?  What  do  I  care  ?  Why  do  you  come  to  me 
with  this?  Much  as  I  esteem  you — much  as  I  feel 
for  you  in  your  sorrow " 

The  Count  drew  himself  up  proudly  and  placed  his 
hand  firmly  upon  Morton's  shoulder. 

"I  have  asked  myself  those  same  questions  many 
times  during  the  last  two  hours,  when  I  was  seeking 
for  a  solution,  looking  for  a  ray  of  hope  in  my  despair. 
I  came  to  you,  sir,  because  I  must  do  all  that  I  can  do 


52        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

— and  there  is  not  a  soul  to  whom  I  can  appeal  or  who 
can  do  what  I  ask,  but  you!  I  can  hold  out  no 
inducements  to  you.  I  know  not  if  glory  or  money 
means  anything  to  you.  Honors  I  cannot  offer,  for 
I  have  fallen  from  my  proud  position  by  the  very 
events  that  have  brought  me  pleading  to  you.  Riches 
I  have  none — my  property  has  been  confiscated.  I 
am  a  ruined  man.  I  have  some  forty  thousand  francs 
with  me — the  money  is  at  your  disposal  to  cover  your 
expenditures  for  the  labors  I  am  praying  you  to  un- 
dertake. Why  do  I  come  to  you?  Because  you  are 
the  last  resource  and  the  only  hope  left  me ;  because  I 
would  do  anything  and  everything  to  save  this  girl 
and " 

Morton  was  about  to  interrupt,  but  the  old  man, 
trembling  violently,  collapsed  in  his  seat.  Recovering 
himself  slowly  he  reached  for  the  large  portfolio  and 
opening  it,  slowly  and  almost  mechanically  fingered  and 
folded  the  papers  within  it. 

Morton  watched  him,  stern  and  wide-eyed,  resolved 
to  remain  calm  and  patient. 

In  a  low  voice,  made  the  more  impressive  by  its 
gentleness,  the  Count  spoke: 

"Forgive  my  vehemence — my  insistence.  I  must 
employ  every  means  at  hand.  I  have  not  told  you 
all ;  I  have  not  told  you  the  full  depth  of  my  despair. 
With  the  Princess  Marie  Louise  is  my  little  daughter — 
my  only  child.  The  child  of  my  love — my  pride,  my 
only  reward  in  this  world — the  child  of  my  beloved 
wife!  Here  is  a  letter  of  hers,  written  but  a  few 
weeks  before  the  awful  events.  A  letter  full  of  love 
and  happiness — she  did  not  then  dream  of  the  fearful 
days  that  were  to  come!  When  I  left  Holstein  to 
follow  my  prince  to  a  new  and  promising  life,  I  had 
the  plighted  word  of  a  beautiful  girl  to  join  me  when- 
ever I  called  her.  In  time  my  beloved  came  to  me. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         53 

We  lived  in  a  strange  country,  among  strange  people 
and  stranger  gods ;  but  we  lived  in  joy  and  love,  mak- 
ing a  heaven  for  us  in  this  new  land!  When,  after 
some  years,  our  child  came,  our  lovely  little  girl,  my 
dear  wife  had  heart  and  love  for  us  both.  She 
brought  up  this  child  of  our  affection,  the  only  child 
God  gave  us,  as  only  love  can!  Her  own  goodness 
is  reproduced  in  the  child — her  beauty  of  heart  and 
mind,  her  loving  ways — all  live  again  in  her  daughter! 
Five  years  ago  she — died,  leaving  our  child  to  my 
care.  And  now,  here  I  am,  a  man  with  one  foot  in  the 
grave — feeble  and  useless — thousands  of  miles  away 
from  my  child — her  child.  My  God!  what " 

The  old  diplomat's  head  fell  upon  his  arms,  amongst 
his  papers,  his  shoulders  heaving  with  his  inarticulate 
sobbings.  His  hand  had  grasped  a  photograph  from 
among  the  scattered  documents  and  he  was  convul- 
sively caressing  it.  Raising  his  head  he  looked  at  it 
with  an  agonized  look  and  murmured  brokenly  t  "Mein 
Kindchen — Mein  Kindchen." 

It  was  more  than  Morton  could  bear.  His  lethargy 
dropped  from  him;  the  spell  was  broken,  his  energy 
returned.  A  second  time  he  had  been  shown  the 
hideousness  of  life.  He  knew  not  what  to  say.  Then 
through  his  thoughts  came  the  words  of  his  own 
father's  cable :  "Am  not  very  well,  better  hurry,  boy !" 
It  was  impossible  for  him  to  engage  in  what,  after 
all,  was  but  a  romantic  adventure. 

What  right  had  this  old  scion  of  a  decayed  aris- 
tocracy to  appeal  to  him — to  him,  who  had  duties  of 
his  own,  just  as  urgent,  to  perform?  What  right  had 
anybody  to  tell  him  these  hideous  things,  that  grip 
the  mind  and  distress  the  heart?  What  was  this  young 
woman  or  this  princess  to  him  that  he  should  wait  a 
moment  before  deciding?  A  refusal,  prompt  and 
emphatic — surely  that  was  the  only  proper  answer  to 


54         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

make !  Was  the  old  man  acting  in  good  faith  or  was 
he,  perhaps,  staging  this  whole  business,  in  order  to 
entangle  him  into  a  foolhardy  enterprise!  What 
would  his  father  say?  What  would  mother  think? 
What  would  his  little  sister — ah !  his  little  sister,  a  girl 
like  this  girl!  His  throat  felt  dry  and  contracted, 
as  if  a  cord  had  been  tightened  about  his  neck. 

Good  God!  And  if  he  declined — would  he  ever 
get  rid  of  the  awful  thought  that  these  girls  might 
have  been  helped — and  he  had  failed  them  ?  Could  he 
ever  look  any  woman  in  the  face  without  thinking  of 
the  fate  of  these  two  gently  reared  women?  A  cold 
perspiration  beaded  his  forehead  and  face.  With  an 
effort  he  rose  from  his  seat  and  strode  toward  the  old 
man,  who  sat  now  staring  before  him  with  glassy  eyes. 

All  this  had  taken  but  a  few  moments,  a  few  heart 
beats  of  agony  and  resentment. 

The  proposition  was  absurd — unheard  of !  He  had 
better  leave  this  raving  lunatic  alone — tell  him  most 
emphatically  that  he  refused.  At  that  moment  his  eye 
caught  sight  of  the  photograph  on  the  desk.  In  the 
benumbed  state  of  his  mind  he  unconsciously  looked 
and  made  out  some  writing  across  the  lower  part  of 
the  card 

"Meinem  lieben  Papa  als  Gruss.    Seine  Helene." 

Immediately  before  his  agitated  mind  there  rose 
the  vision  of  Bonn,  and  the  old  days  of  his  "Burschen- 
schaft."  The  happy  voices  and  songs  of  his  student 
years  came  back  to  him  and  with  them  the  poetry  of 
the  German  sentimentalist — the  lovely  sunshine  and 
the  cheer  of  youth. 

Mechanically  taking  up  the  photograph  he  looked 
at  it  for  a  moment  idly.  The  next  moment  he  was 
riveted  by  what  he  saw.  What  a  beautiful  face ;  what 
lovely  eyes;  what  a  sweet  smile!  It  seemed  to  him 
as  if  the  young  girl  had  spoken  to  him,  had  smiled  at 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         55 

him — why — this  child — why — this  beautiful  girl  must 
not  die — she  must  be  saved! 

All  at  once  it  seemed  as  if  he  heard  an  inner  voice 
calling  on  him  to  bring  her  into  safety,  into  life,  to 
her  dear  father — and,  above  all,  to  himself!  What 
had  he  been  thinking  of  a  moment  since?  Why — 
nothing  could  be  simpler!  He  and  Don  could  do  the 
trick  all  right — the  girl  must  be  saved . 

He  replaced  the  photograph  gently  amongst  the 
papers  strewn  over  the  desk,  and  leaning  forward, 
said  with  hearty  determination :  "Count,  I  have  thought 
it  over.  I  will  do  what  you  propose.  I  will  go  gladly 
to  the  assistance  of  the  young  ladies.  Do  you  under- 
stand me,  Count?  We  must  get  down  to  work  and 
plan.  Do  you  hear  what  I  am  saying?" 

But  his  host  did  not  hear  him.  He  had  sunk  deep 
in  his  chair,  his  chin  upon  his  breast,  the  eyes  heavy 
and  dull,  barely  showing  reason.  Morton  was  shocked. 

"Count— come,  man,  pull  yourself  together;  say 
something.  I  have  agreed." 

A  wan  smile,  like  sunshine,  stole  over  the  drawn 
features  of  the  helpless  man. 

"I  must  apologize  for  my  rudeness,"  he  whispered 
more  than  spoke.  "I  shall  be  better  in  a  moment." 
He  stretched  out  a  trembling  hand  for  the  goblet  of 
water,  but  Morton  had  reached  it  before  him,  and  the 
old  man  drank  the  refreshing  liquid  thirstily. 

The  cool  drink  revived  him.  Some  color  returned 
into  the  blanched  cheeks  and  the  eyes  regained  some- 
what of  their  normal  lustre.  He  sat  up  more  erect. 
"Did  I — do  I  understand  you  to  say,  Mr.  Morton — 
that  you  will  undertake  the — task?  Did  I  understand 
you  correctly?" 

"Your  Excellency,  that  is  exactly  what  I  mean.  I 
shall  undertake  it — and  by  Jove — if  it  can  be  done, 
I'll  do  it!  And  now,  lie  down  for  an  hour  or  so. 


56        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

You  must  rest  so  that  we  can  go  ahead  with  our 
plans.  I  must  learn  all  I  can  about  the  lay  of  the 
land — and  I  guess  time  counts  more  than  anything 
else,  right  now?" 

Gently  pushing  his  host,  who  had  tried  to  rise,  into 
the  seat,  he  said,  "I'll  send  your  man  to  you." 

"My  dear  sir,  my  dear  boy !  Permit  me  to  call  you 
that  for  once — you  have  made  me  very  happy!  I 
feel  confident  you  will  succeed  if  any  man  can.  I 
already  have  a  plan — but  you  are  right,  I  must  pull 
myself  together  first  and  be  ready  for  the  work. 
Please,  ring  for  my  man  and — in  an  hour  I  shall  be  at 
your  disposal." 

"Good,  let's  shake  hands  on  it.  Call  me  anything 
you  please.  I  am  proud  you  have  chosen  me.  Don't 
you  worry;  we'll  beat  the  entire  crazy  outfit — and  I 
will  have  your  girl  out  and  in  your  arms  in  quick 
order.  So  long,  Count,  rest  well!"  He  was  about 
to  leave  when  he  recalled  the  older  man's  stiff  punctili- 
ous ways.  Reddening  slightly  he  turned  and,  with 
courtly  bend,  added,  "Au  revoir,  your  Excellency!" 

Pausing  upon  the  threshold  he  looked  back.  "Have 
you  a  book  on  Roumelia  with  a  map  of  the  country? 
I  might  as  well  get  posted  before  I  see  you  again." 
He  laughed :  "I  am  that  way,  Count ;  first  slow  and 
hard  to  move;  but  once  I  see  my  way  clear — why,  I 
get  enthusiastic  and  forget  that  I  am  no  longer  a  boy." 

The  Count  had  the  very  book  on  the  desk,  map  and 
all.  Morton  took  it  and  retired. 


CHAPTER   V 

MORTON  reached  the  cooler  air  and  took  sev- 
eral turns  around  the  deck.  The  soft  breeze 
playing  on  his  face,  the  sight  of  the  twinkling 
lights  and  the  bustle  from  the  shore,  awoke  him  to 
himself.  He  began  to  realize  the  situation  in  which 
he  had  placed  himself,  and  to  regret  the  enterprise 
to  which  he  had,  in  a  sense,  committed  himself.  It 
was  so  different  from  the  plans  he  had  already  formed, 
so  entirely  at  variance  with  his  thoughts  and  his  aims. 
Was  it  really  to  be  so?  Or  was  it  but  a  dream  from 
which  he  had  just  awakened?  He  felt  like  a  boy 
caught  in  a  forbidden  act.  By  Jove,  the  most  sensible 
thing  would  be  to  go  back  to  the  cabin  and  tell  the 
Count  that  the  whole  scheme  was  impossible!  Surely 
the  man  was  not  quite  right  in  his  head!  What  had 
he  to  do  with  so  absurd  an  adventure  ?  Don  would  be 
certain  to  think  he  had  been  talking  with  a  lunatic  if 
he  came  to  him  with  the  story.  Oh,  yes,  Don  was  the 
very  man  to  consult  about  this  matter.  He  would  see 
him  at  once. 

Then,  into  the  kaleidoscopic  whirl  of  his  thoughts 
rose  again  the  portrait  of  the  beautiful  girl  he  had  seen. 
That  was  real,  without  a  doubt.  How  lovely  she  was ! 
He  recalled  the  fine  outline  of  the  oval  face,  the 
thoughtful  brow,  the  slightly  parted  lips  with  their 
faint  curve  of  a  smile.  He  wondered  what  color  her 
hair  and  eyes  were.  And  then  he  saw  the  slender 
throat,  the  simple,  graceful  pose  of  the  child-woman. 
She  surely  must  have  a  mind  as  beautiful  as  her  face. 
5  57 


$8         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

He  could  almost  see  the  little  mouth  pout,  and  the 
beautiful  blue  eyes  (yes,  they  were  blue)  fill  with  tears. 

He  swore  silently  under  his  breath  and  lit  his  pipe. 
He  could  think  better  smoking.  A  few  puffs  and  he 
had  made  up  his  mind.  He  was  in  for  it,  right  or 
wrong — he  couldn't  and  wouldn't  back  out.  He  was 
wasting  time,  even  now.  He  must  be  up  and  doing. 
Don  must  be  told  at  once.  He  wouldn't  tell  him  more 
than  a  bare  outline — simply  announce  the  change  in 
his  program  and  order  him  to  prepare  for  a  journey 
— the  Count  would  have  some  plan  worked  out. 

As  to  his  people — his  father?  Oh,  well,  he  had 
already  intimated  that  he  might  go  to  Turkestan. 
The  governor  was  all  right  and  two  or  three  weeks 
more  wouldn't  make  an  absence  of  two  years  seem 
much  longer.  He  would  get  ready. 

On  the  main  deck  in  a  cozy  spot  he  found  Don, 
surrounded  by  youngsters  of  all  ages  and  both  sexes, 
telling  the  little  ones  some  fairy  tale.  It  was  remark- 
able how  fond  Donald  was  of  children  and  how  quickly 
the  children  took  to  him. 

"I  am  sorry,  Don,  to  disturb  this  little  party. 
Would  you  mind  coming  to  my  cabin — I  have  an  im- 
portant matter  to  talk  over  with  you." 

If  Don  felt  surprise  he  succeeded  in  hiding  it. 
Smilingly  depositing  a  mite  of  a  girl  from  his  knee  on 
to  the  deck,  he  disentangled  himself  from  the  swarm 
about  him,  and  said  quickly :  "All  right,  Mr.  Morton, 
I'll  be  down  in  a  minute." 

Promising  the  children  to  resume  his  tale  next  morn- 
ing, and  accompanied  by  shrill  calls  of:  "Don't  for- 
get, Mr.  McCormick,"  and  "Don't  tell  anything  when 
I  aren't  here,"  he  followed  Morton. 

Arrived  in  his  cabin,  Morton  silently  motioned  his 
man  to  a  seat  and  sat  down  himself.  He  at  once  in- 
formed Don  that  important  matters  about  which  for 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         59 

the  present  he  could  say  nothing,  obliged  him  to 
change  the  original  plan  of  travel.  The  journey  to 
Italy  would  have  to  be  interrupted  by  a  couple  of 
weeks'  stay  in  Eastern  Europe.  An  important  under- 
taking had  to  be  accomplished  that  needed  cool  judg- 
ment and  careful  preparation.  Don  must  leave  by  the 
midnight  train  and  embark  the  next  evening  on  the 
Lloyd  boat  for  Brindisi.  Further  orders  would  be 
ready  for  him  when  he  arrived  there.  Donald  simply 
nodded  and  made  ready  to  rise  when  Morton  suddenly 
changed  his  mind. 

"Don,  we  have  serious  work  laid  out  for  us — I  am 
not  ready  to  tell  you  what — I  don't  quite  know  myself 
what  it  is — but  you  will  have  to  be  over  there  at  once 
and  start  at  the  business.  I'll  have  our  agent  from 
Rome  meet  you  in  Brindisi  and  he  will  act  on  your 
instructions.  I'll  cable  him  and  have  letters  of  intro- 
duction ready.  Now  let's  put  down  what  we  need." 

Don  was  to  secure  a  large  amount  of  money  in 
gold  and  bills  current  in  Balkan  countries;  especially 
gold — for  Roumelia. 

He  was  to  obtain  all  the  information  available  about 
Roumelia,  collect  newspaper  articles  on  Roumelian 
affairs  beginning  with  October  fifteenth,  tabulate  them 
so  that  they  could  go  over  them  quickly,  and  get  in- 
formation about  the  best  train  connections  with 
Bucharest.  Morton  would  need  the  help  of  an  Ameri- 
can Consul.  Don  must  induce  the  Consul  at  Rome  or 
Naples  to  come  to  Brindisi  to  meet  him,  Morton. 
Morton  would  explain  things  later.  Passports  good 
for  all  the  Balkan  states,  and  especially  Roumelia, 
would  be  needed.  Also  introductory  letters  to  Amer- 
ican Consuls  and  to  such  men  of  standing  as  the 
consul  or  the  agents  of  the  firm  could  influence. 

Don's  face  had,  during  this  recital,  been  assuming  a 
more  and  more  puzzled  expression.  "Is  it  all  on  the 


60         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

level,  Mr.  John?"  he  asked.  "It  sounds  kind  o' 
crazy." 

John  grunted :  "It's  all  right  enough ;  just  wait  until 
you  know  why." 

Don  was  further  instructed  to  obtain  a  full  equip- 
ment for  three  men — four  rifles,  revolvers  and  am- 
munition— all  of  the  best  make.  A  camp  outfit  for  five 
or  six  people,  rugs,  furs,  tools,  canned  meats  and  prov- 
ender for  horses  for  ten  days. 

Don  looked  so  astonished  that  Morton  couldn't  sup- 
press a  grin.  He  decided  to  take  his  man  further  into 
his  confidence,  and  impressed  him  with  the  need  of 
discretion. 

Once  Don  had  the  outline  of  the  "job"  clearly  in 
his  mind,  he  looked  relieved.  Morton  knew  now  that 
all  his  instructions  would  be  obeyed  to  the  letter,  and 
that  he  was  certain  of  a  faithful  adherent.  Don's  in- 
terest took  on  an  enthusiasm  which  showed  that  he 
was  eager  for  the  adventure.  The  primitive  man  in 
him  had  begun  to  assert  itself.  He  would  do  and  dare 
anything. 

When  everything  had  been  agreed  upon  and  settled 
to  their  satisfaction,  Morton  dismissed  his  man  and  re- 
turned to  the  Count  in  his  cabin.  He  found  the  old 
man  feeling  much  better — the  eyes  were  brighter  and 
the  tone  of  his  voice  stronger.  He  was  glad  that 
Morton  had  come  because  he  was  anxious  to  lay  out 
the  plans  of  action. 

He  informed  Morton  that  he  had  cabled  to  his  friend 
in  Constantinople  asking  further  information  and  ex- 
pected a  reply  the  next  morning.  When  he  was  told 
that  Donald  was  going  to  Brindisi  ahead  of  them,  he 
was  pleased — that  would  gain  time,  he  thought. 

Mr.  Morton  was  to  go  to  Kronstadt  in  Transyl- 
vania, only  a  short  distance  from  the  Roumelian  bor- 
der and  equip  there,  A  good  priest  of  that  town,  a 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         61 

faithful  and  well-informed  man,  would  be  of  great 
help  to  him.  His  good  will  was  assured — he  was 
under  obligation  to  the  Count  and  could  be  relied  on. 
With  native  guides  and  helpers  obtained  there — men 
that  knew  the  country  and  language — Mr.  Morton 
could  assume  the  dress  of  an  ordinary  citizen  and  give 
out  some  purpose  of  travel  not  likely  to  awaken  sus- 
picion. The  guides  would  drive  into  Padina  as  farm- 
ers bringing  their  produce  to  the  town  market. 

At  Padina — there  was  one  man  there,  a  Jewish 
merchant  who  was  very  loyal  to  the  Count  and  his 
family,  a  very  shrewd  and  resourceful  man  who,  in 
all  likelihood,  would  be  standing  well  with  the  new 
powers.  The  man  was  absolutely  true  and  loyal  and 
would  be  of  great  assistance. 

These  matters  clearly  understood  the  Count  sug- 
gested that  perhaps  an  outline  of  the  history  of  Rou- 
melia  during  the  past  quarter  century  would  help  Mr. 
Morton  to  understand  the  situation.  Morton  ex- 
pressed himself  as  eager  to  be  enlightened. 

No  one  could  be  with  Count  Rondell  without  suc- 
cumbing to  the  charm  of  his  magnetic  personality. 
He  told  his  tale  with  the  skill  of  an  accomplished 
raconteur  and  with  the  knowledge  of  personal  experi- 
ence. The  man  who  was  speaking  had  played  a  great 
part  in  the  drama  he  unfolded.  It  was  a  rare  pleasure 
that  Morton  enjoyed. 

"I  know,  my  dear  Mr.  Morton,"  said  the  Count 
when  he  had  finished,  "that  as  a  republican  you 
may  not  be  in  sympathy  with  monarchy,  but  if  you 
will  permit  me  to  explain  it  may  help  to  straighten 
out  any  false  ideas  you  may  have — at  least,  so  far  as 
my  own  country  is  concerned." 

"By  all  means,  Count,"  replied  Morton  heartily. 

"I  shall  not  attempt  to  discuss  which  is  or  which  is 
not  the  most  proper  and  most  enlightened  form  of 


62         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

government — that  would  be  futile  now — we  certainly 
agree  that  some  form  of  government  is  absolutely 
needed  to  secure  the  peaceful  development  of  any  com- 
monwealth. You  Americans,  with  a  virile  and  highly 
gifted  population  descended  from  peoples  who  have 
lived  under  liberal  laws  for  many  generations,  in- 
habiting a  virtually  virgin  land  of  great  resources, 
without  a  history  of  oppression  to  live  down — you  are 
capable  of  existing  and  prospering  under  a  democracy. 
Believe  me,  my  dear  sir,  Roumelia  never  could  and 
never  will  survive  under  a  similar  form  of  govern- 
ment. The  novelty  may  appeal  to  them,  the  delusion 
of  a  new  kind  of  freedom  may  delude  them,  but  the 
people  are  not  educated  for  it,  they  are  not  ready  for 
it.  They  need  the  pomp  of  a  court,  the  strong  per- 
sonality of  an  acknowledged  ruler  to  temper  dema- 
gogue ambitions  and  to  curb  the  desire  of  the  common 
mind  to  become  enriched  at  the  expense  of  the  country. 
There  must  be  some  one  who  is  above  bribery,  who 
will  not  be  swayed  by  selfish  motives  but  who  has 
the  public  welfare  at  heart — such  a  man  can  only  be 
the  king.  His  position  is  God's  gift;  and  he  is  re- 
sponsible to  his  Maker  alone!  A  republican  form  of 
government  in  the  Balkans!  My  dear  sir,  it  would 
be  a  farce,  were  it  not  a  tragedy !" 

Morton  made  no  reply,  and  Count  Rondell  crossed 
his  legs  and  leaned  further  back  in  his  chair. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Morton,"  he  said,  with  a  plaintive 
smile,  "may  I  speak  my  mind  to  you  ?  I  cannot  explain 
it,  but  I  was  drawn  to  you  from  the  first.  You  are 
a  man  whose  kind  I  have  always  loved  and  admired — 
perhaps  it  is  because  we  do  not  raise  the  like  in  my 
own  country.  I  wish  I  had  a  son  like  you !" 

"Count,  I  am  proud  of  your  esteem  and  regard." 

"My  dear  boy!"  and  impulsively  the  Count  pressed 
Morton's  hand.  "I  am  very,  very  happy  and  feel 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         63 

certain  you  will  succeed.  Save  my  beloved  daughter 
and  the  noble  Princess — and,  perhaps,  save  also  Rou- 
melia  from  herself  and  her  abominations." 

"At  present,  Count  Rondell,  it  will  be  well  if  I 
think  less  of  politics  or  kings  and  more  of  the  two 
ladies  who  will  need  all  our  help.  If  one  of  them  re- 
gains her  right — well  and  good."  The  old  man  puffed 
at  his  cigar  thoughtfully.  "You  are  right,"  he  said 
at  last. 

The  two  men  sat  in  converse  until  a  late  hour.  Mor- 
ton smoking  incessantly,  was  satisfied  to  sit  and  listen  to 
this  remarkable  old  man,  who  in  spite  of  his  delicate 
frame  possessed  a  will  of  iron,  a  mind  as  keen  and  as 
brilliant  as  a  diamond  and  a  heart  as  noble  and  tender 
as  a  woman's.  The  Count  had  told  him  of  his  search 
for  the  weakling  of  a  prince  and  its  tragic  end.  Mor- 
ton marvelled  at  the  devotion  and  nerve  of  this  faithful 
servant  of  the  Crown.  "What  a  man!"  he  said  to 
himself.  "What  a  splendid  example  for  any  highly 
resolved  youth  to  emulate !"  Surely  he  would  do  well 
to  be  moved  by  a  like  spirit!  "Nihil  sine  Deo,"  was 
Roumelia's  motto,  the  Count  had  told  him.  Hence- 
forth his  motto  would  be  "Omnia  cum  Deo."  His 
heart  expanded  in  sympathy  for  the  long-suffering 
statesman — he  would  be  worthy  of  the  trust  imposed 
in  him  and  would  succeed. 

Again  the  likeness  of  the  beautiful  girl  came  before 
him.  An  overwhelming  desire  to  see  the  photograph 
once  more  seized  him.  With  the  instinctive  cun- 
ning of  a  lover,  he  remarked:  "Bye-the-bye,  Count, 
you  will,  of  course,  furnish  me  with  proper  cre- 
dentials." 

"Certainly.  The  letters  I  shall  have  ready  for  you 
are  carefully  listed  on  the  memorandum  I  have  pre- 
pared for  you.  I  shall  also  ask  you  to  take  this  ring. 
It  will  vouch  for  you  with  all  my  friends  and  follow- 


64         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

ers.  When  showing  it  say  the  words,  'Arnim's  pledge/ 
And  I  must  also  give  you  the  photographs  of  the 
young  ladies." 

Count  Rondell,  to  Morton's  delight,  reached  for 
the  portfolio  and  opened  its  quaint  and  curious  lock. 

"This  I  think  is  the  best  likeness  of  the  three  I 
have  with  me,"  and  he  handed  over  the  very  photo- 
graph Morton  had  first  seen.  "I  shall  have  a  copy 
of  it  made  early  to-morrow  and  will  include  it  with 
the  other  papers."  Morton  had  seized  the  portrait  and 
was  devouring  it  with  his  eyes.  "She  is  a  beautiful 
girl,  Mr.  Morton!" 

John  turned  his  face  away  so  that  the  Count  should 
not  notice  his  expression,  and  remarked  politely  but 
with  an  air  of  nonchalance :  "Yes,  Count,  she  is  very 
bright  and  attractive.  It  is  a  little  difficult  for  a 
stranger  to  see  a  likeness — does  she  favor  you  in  any 
way?"  In  his  heart  he  felt  it  was  the  most  adorable, 
the  most  beautiful  face  he  had  ever  seen. 

"She  may,  a  little ;  but  to  me  she  has  always  seemed 
like  her  sainted  mother.  Although  a  child  in  appear- 
ance, she  is  past  nineteen  and  quite  tall." 

Morton  thought  nineteen  was  young  enough.  He 
longed  to  keep  the  photograph.  He  felt  he  could  look 
at  it  for  ever.  Reluctantly  he  handed  it  back. 

The  hour  was  late  and  Morton  regretted  he  had 
kept  the  sick  man  from  his  bed.  Rising  quickly  he 
excused  himself  and,  promising  to  look  in  early  the 
next  morning,  he  retired  to  his  own  cabin.  There 
he  learned  that  Donald  had  completed  his  packing, 
and  was  ready  for  the  journey. 

He  at  once  sat  down  and  wrote  a  letter  to  his 
father's  agents  at  Brindisi  introducing  Don  and  giving 
him  full  power  to  act  in  his  stead,  and  requesting 
them  to  aid  his  representative  in  every  way  they  could. 
Don  was  to  be  given  such  funds  as  he  needed  and 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         65 

instructions  to  this    effect    would    come  from  head- 
quarters by  cable. 

To  his  father  he  cabled :  "Will  leave  England  second 
week  November.  .Will  advise  steamer.  Take  care 
yourself,  love  all.  Please  approve  by  cable  heavy 
drafts  on  your  agents  Rome,  Brindisi.  Am  well." 

To  his  mother :  "Cable  Hindoostan  Port  Said  and 
later  Brindisi  father's  health.  Can  I  stay  in  Europe 
two  weeks  longer?  Love." 

Having  despatched  the  cables  he  settled  down  to 
write  his  letters — one  each  to  his  father  and  mother. 
The  cable  he  had  received  disturbed  him.  He  was 
anxious  about  his  father's  health. 

The  letters,  indicative  of  John's  character  and  his 
relations  to  his  parents  are,  perhaps,  worthy  of  re- 
production. 
DEAR  FATHER:  SUEZ,  October ,  189—.  ^ 

At  last  I  am  out  of  the  desert  and  once  more  within  civi- 
lization on  my  way  home.  I  cabled  you  to-night: 

"Will  leave  England  second  week  November.  Will  ad- 
vise steamer.  Take  care  yourself,  love  all.  Please  approve 
by  cable  heavy  drafts  on  your  agents,  Rome,  Brindisi.  Am 
well." 

I  shall  have  to  go  to  Paris  for  some  days,  see  some  friends 
in  Germany  and  report  in  London  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Colonies  about  my  work  in  Egypt;  expect  to  take  the  Cu- 
narder  that  leaves  November  I4th  from  Liverpool. 

Have  had  your  letters  of  August  loth  and  September  i6th 
upon  arriving  here,  and  some  letters  from  mother  and  sis. 

Also  have  your  cable  of  the  in  which  you  ask  me  to 

come  home  as  you  are  not  feeling  well. 

I  hope,  dear  father,  this  does  not  mean  that  you  are  ill. 
You  work  too  hard  and  play  too  little.  When  I  get  back 
I'll  want  you  to  make  use  of  me,  put  me  into  harness  and 
ease  up  on  yourself.  I  have  had  any  amount  of  time  in 
the  desert  to  think  o'f  my  work  and  my  duty,  and  I  assure 
you,  father,  I  will  settle  down  and  try  to  carry  on  your  work 
and  your  plans.  I  have  always  admitted  that  you  knew  best 
and  were  ever  right.  I  repeat  that  now  and  want  to  put 
myself  at  your  service. 


66        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

I  am  hearty  and  strong.  You  will  find  me  fit  and  willing, 
and  the  life  abroad  and  the  knowledge  I  have  gained  have 
done  me  good,  I  think.  How  I  do  look  forward,  dear  Dad, 
to  seeing  you  again ;  to  sit  by  you  and  chat  and  plan !  How 
proud  I  am  that  my  work  here  has  been  so  successful !  Dad, 
you  will  be  pleased.  Your  ideas  are  absolutely  borne  out, 
and  with  the  data  we  have  of  Jackson's  Hole  country  I  am 
positive  the  work  can  be  done  and  finished  in  two  and  a 
half  or  three  years.  We  can  rely  on  at  least  300  million 
gallons  of  storage  reserve  and  a  useful  supply  oi  not  less 
than  18  million  per  day.  Isn't  that  glorious? 

Remember,  father,  you  always  hinted  that  my  duty,  as  the 
last  of  the  Mortons,  was  to  settle  down,  marry  and  see  to 
it  that  I  shan't  remain  the  last  of  your  doughty  clan.  Well, 
I  am  as  "dour"  as  any  Morton  ever  was — and  willing.  As 
I  am  writing  in  similar  strain  to  mother  I  expect  between 
you  two  you  will  try  and  pick  the  mother  of  my  future  off- 
spring. I  guess  you  will  want  her  to  be  fair  and  mother 
dark — I  will  thus,  at  least,  have  a  chance  of  choosing  'for 
myself  I 

But,  joking  aside,  Dad,  I  am  ready  to  quit  roving  for 
good,  ready  to  give  up  adventure,  ready  to  settle  down  in 
the  dear  old  home  and  go  into  business.  And  if  I  can't 
duplicate  you,  father,  I'll  make  a  good  try  anyway ! 

Have  you  gotten  the  Mummy  which  I  shipped  in  May; 
and  did  the  Sarcophagus  reach  you  that  I  sent  by  "under- 
ground" in  July?  The  latter  is  certainly  a  very  fine  speci- 
men and  will  just  fit  into  your  gallery. 

I  feel  fine.  I  am,  if  anything,  heavier  than  two  years  ago, 
and  didn't  have  a  sick  minute  while  in  Africa.  I  am 
browned  as  dark  as  the  headwaiter  at  the  Lake  House  and 
with  a  little  practice  could  beat  you  on  the  links. 

Unless  I  have  cable  from  you  will  stick  to  the  above  plan 
and  be  in  New  York  on  November  22d. 

Donald  is  well  and  glad  to  turn  his  nose  west.  He  asks 
to  be  remembered  to  you.  You  will  be  satisfied  with  him 
when  you  look  at  me. 

Dearest  love  to  you  all,  my  loved  ones. 

Give  my  regards  to  all  our  'friends  whom  I  shall  be  glad 
to  see  again  this  winter. 

I  embrace  you,  my  dear  Dad.  Your  loving     JOHN> 

P.S. — "Am  going  to  draw  rather  heavily  on  your  agents 
in  Rome  or  Brindisi,  as  I  won't  have  time  to  see  bankers 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         67 

before  getting  to  London.    Will  settle  by  transfer  from  my 
account  when  I  return." 

The  other  letter  to  his  mother,  he  wrote  more  care- 
fully. 

SUEZ,  October ,  189 — . 

MY  DEAREST  MOTHER: 

By  this  same  mail  I  am  writing  to  father  and  you  will 
get  all  information  about  me  from  that  letter.  You  are  not 
supposed  to  show  this,  your  own  letter,  to  Dad;  it  is  partly 
for  you  only,  as  you  will  see  in  the  next  'few  sentences. 

I  have  cabled  to  you  inquiring  if  father's  health  is  in  any 
way  alarming  and  expect  your  reply  promptly.  If  the  an- 
swer is  favorable  I  shall  take  a  week  or  so  in  Europe  for 
an  enterprise  which  looks  very  important  to  me  and  of  which 
you,  I  am  certain,  would  approve. 

I  haven't  even  time  to  write  a  long  letter,  but  as  I  shall 
be  but  a  week  or  two  later  than  these  lines,  my  tale  can 
well  wait. 

This  enterprise,  dear  mater,  I  cannot  specify  more  exactly 
than  to  say  that  I  know  you  would  applaud  the  principle 
involved  and  would  yourself  urge  me  to  undertake  it. 

I  can  hardly  wait  until  I  am  home  with  you,  dearest 
mother,  and  with  father  and  Ruth.  I  shall  have  an  awful 
lot  to  tell,  of  strange  countries,  experiences  and  a  study  of 
life  that  has  been  granted  to  few  men.  You  may  lionize 
me,  mother,  and  ask  all  the  swell  people  of  the  ultra  cul- 
tured crowd  to  come  and  listen  to  your  son's  adventures.  I 
shall  let  my  hair  grow,  raise  again  the  beautiful  whiskers 
that  were  four  days  ago  sacrificed  on  the  altar  of  comfort 
and  decency  (tell  Ruth  I  have  preserved  a  photo  with  them 
on)  and  satisfy  the  craving  of  society  for  something  novel. 

Mater,  dear,  you  always  claimed  I  was  a  good  deal  "Ran- 
dolph" in  my  exterior;  did  the  R's  ever  run  into  red  hair? 
My  whiskers — save  the  mark — were  of  a  hue  which  an  enemy 
of  your  proud  Virginia  ancestry  might  designate  as — red! 
Please  don't  mention  it  to  Ruth ;  the  photo  doesn't  show  the 
color  and  she  might  be  shocked. 

Now,  Mother  dear,  be  happy  and  be  sure  to  be  just  as 
pretty  as  you  always  were.  I  think  the  natural  bird  will  be 
ready  to  be  substituted  for  the  fatted  calf  by  the  time  I  get 
home,  because — Thanksiving  will  put  me  at  your  table  and — 
Oh,  won't  the  turkey  taste  good ! 


68         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Love  to  Ruthie  and  thousands  of  kisses  to  you  both,  dear- 
est mother. 

Ever  Your  Loving  Admirer  and  Son. 

"Apropos!  If  Ruth  really  pesters  you  as  she  surely  will 
and  starts  a  guessing  match — tell  her  the  lady  is  five  foot 
eleven,  hair  raven  and  eyes — a  deep  violet  bordering  on 
purplish  black — she's  proud  and  has  refused  me  three  times. 
I  am  going  to  follow  her  into  her  retreat,  play  the  guitar 
outside  her  little  window  for  ten  consecutive  nights,  moon- 
light or  no  light.  If  she  melts  under  the  influence  of  the 
sweet  strains,  my  pleadings  and  the  proofs  of  dad's  wealth — 
I  shall  bring  her  home  dragging  her  along  by  a  chain  of 
Marshal  Niel  roses;  if  she  remains  cold  and  disdainful — 
she,  I  mean  Ruth,  can  pick  the  girl  for  me  in  old  America. 
But  mind  you — only  one  at  a  time,  please,  for  safety's  sake. 
You  must  remember  I  have  dwelt  in  the  Orient  for  two 
years,  and  the  Orient — you  recall  the  hundred  wives  of  Solo- 
mon? So  don't  subject  me  to  the  charms  of  more  than  one 
divine  lady  at  a  time.  Love  to  all — I  mean  you  of  course 
and  not  the  prospective  ladies ! — JOHN/' 

The  writing  and  sending  of  the  cables  and  letters 
quieted  John's  mind;  he  had  acquitted  himself  of  his 
filial  duties  for  the  time  being  at  least.  With  renewed 
zest  he  again  entered  into  his  plans  for  the  enterprise 
before  him — and  it  was  not  until  a  very  late  hour  that 
he  found  his  bed. 

The  steamer  reached  Ishmaila  and  Port  Said  in 
good  time.  Here  he  received  his  one  cable  answer 
from  his  father  informing  him  that  the  delay  would 
not  matter  in  the  least  and  wishing  him  good  luck  and 
an  early  termination  of  the  new  work.  Agents  in 
Rome  and  Brindisi  had  been  notified  to  honor  his 
drafts. 

Early  next  morning  the  Mediterranean  was  entered 
and  the  last  stretch  of  the  voyage  begun. 

Count  Rondell  had  become  feebler  and  appeared 
less  frequently  and  for  shorter  periods  on  deck  or  in 
the  smoking  room.  His  features  had  become  duller 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER        69 

and  John  caught  Dr.  Brown  more  than  once  looking 
anxiously  at  his  new  friend.  The  Count  never  com- 
plained, rarely  referred  to  his  health  at  all  and,  when 
with  John,  would  speak  only  of  his  country  and  his 
early  life.  Each  interview  served  but  to  knit  him 
and  John  more  closely  together. 

One  afternoon,  when  Morton,  as  usual,  was  visiting 
the  count  in  his  stateroom,  he  found  the  old  man 
strangely  silent  and  seemingly  very  depressed.  John 
tried  to  draw  him  into  conversation,  asking  questions 
about  his  beloved  Roumelia,  but  the  Count  replied 
only  in  monosyllables.  He  seemed  curiously  embar- 
rassed. Finally,  however,  the  old  man  roused  himself. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Morton — I  feel  ashamed  and  hu- 
miliated— I  am  at  a  loss  how  to  apologize  to  you." 

John  looked  at  him  in  astonishment. 

"This  morning,"  continued  the  Count,  "I  was  visited 
by  some  kind-hearted  gentlemen  who  were  so  courteous 
as  to  wish  to  entertain  me  in  my  forced  seclusion.  I 
learned  from  them,  for  the  first  time,  who  you  really 
are.  I  am  distressed  to  think  that  I  had  offered  you 
money  as  the  price  of  your  services.  I  knew,  of  course, 
of  a  Mr.  Morton,  one  of  the  financial  bulwarks  of  the 
Western  world,  but  I  never  thought  of  connecting 
you  with  him.  I  humbly  beg  your  forgiveness." 

"My  dear  Count,  pray,  don't  distress  yourself  on 
that  account.  We  can  devote  the  money  to  the  ex- 
penses of  the  undertaking  itself  if  it  is  needed.  Let 
us  not  refer  to  it  again,  Your  Excellency."  John  spoke 
heartily  and  with  emphasis. 

"You  are  very  good.  You  absolve  me,  Mr.  Mor- 
ton?" 

"Absolutely,  Count." 

"I  am  greatly  relieved.    Thank  you." 

By  the  time  they  had  arrived  at  the  Italian  littoral 
Morton  was  well  posted  on  Roumelia  and  also  com- 


70        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

pletely  in  love  with  his  tutor's  daughter.  It  gave  him 
a  curious  pleasure  to  hear  the  father  talk  about  his 
child.  The  Count  never,  for  a  moment,  suspected  that 
John  was  skillfully  guiding  the  conversation  to  that 
subject,  for  he  himself  was  an  enthusiast  on  it.  John, 
on  the  other  hand,  did  not  realize  that  he  was  playing 
with  fire  but  sat  opposite  the  old  man  and  kept  saying 
to  himself,  "You  don't  know  what  I  am  thinking,  old 
chap!  I  wonder  what  you'd  say,  if  you  did  know? 
I  am  ready  to  fall  in  love  with  your  daughter,  head 
over  heels !  Just  you  wait —  I  hope  you'll  like  it." 

The  Count's  valet  had  made  a  very  excellent  print 
of  the  photograph  selected  and  this  copy  was  now 
safely  stowed  away  in  Morton's  breast  pocket.  It 
remained  there  until  he  reached  the  privacy  of  his 
stateroom,  and  then  he  placed  it  in  the  palm  of  his 
hand  and  gave  free  vent  to  his  excited  imagination. 

She  did  have  beautiful  eyes,  this  "little  Helene!" 


CHAPTER    VI 

PAST  Santa  Andrea,  the  Forte  a  Mare  of  the 
harbor  of  Brindisi,  the  steamer  crept  slowly 
through  the  narrow  channel  connecting  the 
outer  bay  with  the  splendid  and  well-protected  inner 
waterway,  and  drew  up  alongside  the  fine  stone  Molo 
di  San  Giovanni  across  the  heart  of  the  town. 

Morton,  standing  on  deck  aloof  from  his  fellow 
passengers,  extended  his  silent  greetings  to  Europe. 
His  heart  beat  with  gladness  and  expectation.  The 
last  days  had  seemed  never-ending,  so  eager  was  he 
to  begin  the  adventure  on  which  he  had  now  set  his 
heart.  He  had  made  his  adieus  to  the  ship's  company 
and  passengers.  Friendships  easily  and  quickly 
formed  on  board  a  ship  are,  as  a  rule,  built  on  the 
slender  foundation  of  the  ennui  of  the  moment;  the 
boon  companions  of  the  smoking  room  soon  become 
merely  pictures  for  the  memory  to  paint  in  after  days ; 
even  the  charming  lady  whose  deck  chair  adjoins  yours 
fades  into  the  hazy  past — "Out  of  sight,  out  of  mind !" 

Morton's  first  care  on  landing,  after  meeting  his 
agent  from  Rome  who  had  come  to  the  ship,  was  to 
see  that  Count  Rondell  had  been  safely  and  comfort- 
ably housed  in  a  hotel.  The  old  man  was  very  feeble 
and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  he  was  removed  from 
the  ship.  The  ship's  doctor  had  seen  to  it  that  a  good 
physician  was  in  attendance  to  give  him  all  the  neces- 
sary attention  and  care.  This  done  to  Morton's 
satisfaction,  he  promised  the  Count  to  return  in  a  short 
time  and  went  himself  to  a  nearby  osteria  for  any 
cables  or  letters  which  might  have  arrived  for  him.  He 


72         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

learned  that  all  his  orders  and  instructions  had  been 
properly  carried  out  and,  what  was  more  pleasing, 
that  none  of  the  cables  or  letters  awaiting  him  called 
for  any  alterations  in  the  plans  he  had  made  with 
Count  Rondell. 

Learning  that  a  fast  train  left  Brindisi  for  the  North 
in  a  couple  of  hours,  he  gave  Donald  his  final  instruc- 
tions and  the  letters  he  had  prepared  for  him  and  saw 
him  off  for  Kronstadt,  promising  to  meet  him  there 
the  day  after  his  arrival. 

With  his  agent  Morton  then  went  to  the  hotel  and 
met  the  American  Consul  who  had  come  from  Naples 
to  offer  his  services.  The  Consul  turned  out  to  bo.  a 
pleasant  and  bright  young  man  who  was  fairly  well 
acquainted  with  the  Balkan  countries.  He  provided 
Morton  with  passports  and  letters  of  introduction  to 
American  Consuls  in  the  section  which  he  expected 
to  visit.  He  suggested  that  Morton  should  travel 
tinder  his  own  name  as  an  American  capitalist  inter- 
ested in  oil  lands  and  as  being  also  interested  in  pur- 
chasing some  of  the  highly  bred  horses  for  which 
Roumelia  was  noted.  The  rest  must  be  left  to 
Morton's  own  quick  wit,  he  said,  and  the  length  of 
his  purse — especially  the  latter.  The  political  state 
of  the  country  was  not  quiet;  but  he  thought 
that  Morton,  as  an  American  trader,  should  meet  with 
few  or  no  difficulties.  The  people  of  the  Balkans  were 
tradesmen  and  loved  to  meet  anyone  by  whom  they 
could  profit.  With  this  parting  advice  he  left. 

Returning  to  the  Count's  hotel,  Morton  found  him 
in  bed,  weak  but  cheerful,  with  his  valet  and  a  newly 
engaged  nurse  in  attendance.  Dr.  Brown,  who  was 
in  the  adjoining  apartment,  had  telephoned  for  a 
prominent  specialist  from  Rome  who  was  expected  to 
arrive  within  a  few  hours. 

Morton  took  a  chair,  and  begging  the  nurse  to 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         73 

leave  him  alone  with  her  invalid,  sat  down  by  the 
Count's  bedside.  He  told  him  in  detail  of  what  he 
had  done  since  leaving  the  ship.  The  information 
cheered  the  sick  man  and  brought  a  brighter  look  into 
his  tired  eyes.  He  pressed  the  young  man's  hand 
gratefully.  "I  trust  you  implicitly,  dear  friend,"  he 
murmured. 

Morton  smiled  and  promised  that  he  would  wire 
and  write  whenever  he  could  do  so  without  endanger- 
ing the  attainment  of  his  ultimate  object.  He  begged 
him  to  be  of  good  cheer  and  to  be  patient — all  would 
end  well.  His  father's  agent  had  instructions  to  be 
at  the  Count's  service.  Mr.  Kelly,  Morton's  agent, 
would  call  on  him  from  time  to  time,  and  he  begged 
Count  Rondell  to  make  liberal  use  of  his  time. 

The  old  man  could  not  speak,  so  overcome  was  he 
with  emotion;  but  he  pressed  Morton's  hands  and 
looked  the  gratitude  he  felt. 

The  hour  had  now  approached  when  Morton  must 
leave.  The  doctor  also  had  come  in  and  whispered 
that  the  patient  was  being  overtaxed.  Morton  there- 
fore rose : 

"Count  Rondell,  my  dear  friend,  I  know  what  is  in 
your  mind.  Let  me  assure  you,  that  come  what  may, 
I  shall  do  my  best  to  look  after  your  daughter.  If  you 
should  not  be  here  to  protect  her — I  will.  If  she  does 
not  find  a  suitable  home  at  the  court, — I  shall  bring 
her  to  my  mother,  who  will  be  her  friend.  Have  no 
anxiety,  dear  friend.  Think  only  of  yourself — think 
only  of  getting  well  again.  But,  again,  whatever  hap- 
pens she  will  never  want  a  friend  so  long  as  I  live." 
He  reached  for  the  sick  man's  hand  and  as  a  final 
word,  said  earnestly,  "I  will  succeed." 

Count  Rondell's  eyes  had  been  closed  while  Morton 
was  speaking.  He  now  opened  them  wide,  and  a  wan, 
happy  smile  irradiated  his  face.  He  pressed  with 
6 


74        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

feverish  clasp  the  hand  held  out  to  him  and  whispered 
rather  than  spoke :  "May  God  reward  you,  my  son. 
If  I  get  well — I  shall  be  your  debtor  for  life ;  if  I  die 
before  your  return — I  shall  die  happy.  May  God  bless 
you,  my  boy — Good-bye!" 

"Au  revoir,  Count — be  of  good  courage  and  get 
well!" 

Morton  withdrew  hastily,  afraid  to  trust  himself 
any  longer  because  of  the  stress  of  his  emotions,  and 
glad  to  relieve  his  mind  in  discussing  the  final  arrange- 
ments for  the  Count's  care  with  Dr.  Brown.  To  his 
agent,  who  was  also  waiting  in  the  hotel,  he  entrusted 
the  moneys  the  Count  had  given  him  with  the  request 
that  they  be  deposited  at  the  local  branch  of  the  "Banca 
Nationale"  in  the  name  and  to  the  order  of  the  Count. 
He  was  to  draw  on  Morton's  funds  for  all  that  was 
needed  for  the  Count's  comfort  and  to  stop  at  no  ex- 
pense, if  necessary. 

Leaving  the  hotel,  he  threaded  his  way  through  the 
narrow  and  crowded  streets  and  arrived  at  the  railway 
station,  very  tired  and  hungry.  A  nearby  osteria  in- 
vited him  with  its  cheerful  aspect.  In  the  sunny  back- 
room the  brown-faced  comely  hostess  served  him  a 
bountiful  meal  of  which  he  ate  heartily.  When  he  had 
finished,  he  looked  at  his  watch  and  found  he  had  still 
plenty  of  time.  He  thought  of  the  cables  he  had 
received  and  took  them  from  his  pocket.  "Father 
rather  unwell  but  not  serious  according  Brooks.  Delay 
permissible.  All  well  and  send  love,  Mother."  His 
father  had  cabled  more  laconically:  "Go  ahead. 
Christmas  will  do.  Agency  has  orders." 

He  rang  the  bell  and  asked  for  pen,  ink  and  paper. 
The  smiling  landlady  bowed  and  returned  with  a  green 
and  orange,  striped  penholder  and  a  tiny  bottle  partly 
filled  with  a  pale  bluish  fluid.  What  should  he  write  ? 
He  leaned  over  the  table  and  played  with  the  penholder 


UNDER     THE     BIG    DIPPER         75 

idly,  sipping  occasionally  the  chianti  from  a  many- 
colored  glass  goblet.  The  slanting  rays  of  the  October 
sun  lighted  up  the  plainly  furnished  room  with  its 
whitewashed  walls  on  which  hung  a  chromo  of  a  rosy- 
cheeked  Madonna  and  child,  and  a  dark  crucifix.  The 
wax  flowers  on  the  mantelpiece  attracted  a  bee  which 
buzzed  noisily  against  the  bell-shaped  glass  covering. 
Occasionally  Morton  would  look  up  and  glance  through 
the  open  window  through  which  he  dreamily  noticed 
the  little  brick-paved  garden,  deeply  shaded  by  the 
high  wall  and  the  buildings  enclosing  it.  A  few  bril- 
liantly colored  dahlias,  some  clumps  of  chrysanthe- 
mums, and  a  few  tomato  plants  despoiled  of  their 
crimson  glory  waved  gently  in  the  wind.  A  solitary 
starling  skipped  in  and  out  from  between  the  beds 
furtively  glancing  about  with  bright  eyes  and  seem- 
ingly quite  unenthusiastic  over  the  place  in  which  he 
found  himself.  Even  in  sunny  Italy,  the  autumnal 
season  has  its  sad  forebodings. 

Morton  felt  he  owed  his  mother  some  reason  for 
the  change  he  had  made  in  his  original  plans.  She 
would  certainly  expect  an  explanation.  What  should 
he  say  without  betraying  the  confidence  imposed  in 
him  by  Count  Rondell  ?  And  yet  he  longed  to  tell  her 
of  what  was  really  impelling  him.  Should  he  send  her 
the  photograph?  And  if  he  did  what  could  he  say? 
No — he  must  say  nothing  about  the  girl.  He  must 
write  generalities, — perhaps  drop  a  hint  or  so,  and 
let  it  go  at  that. 

The  monotonous  regular  ticking  of  the  clock  in  the 
adjoining  public  room  reminded  him  forcibly  that 
time  was  passing  and  that  the  train  would  not  wait. 
Dipping  the  pen  into  the  bottle,  he  began  and  wrote 
rapidly : 


76         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 


BRINDISI,  October  ,  189 — . 

MY  DEAREST  MOTHER  : 

Since  leaving  Port  Said  I  have  had  time  to  reflect  on  my 
lengthened  stay  here,  of  which  I  advised  you  by  cable  from 
Suez. 

In  Port  Said  I  received  your  reply  saying  that  father's 
illness  was  not  serious  and  my  further  stay  in  Europe  per- 
missible. Also  that  you  and  Sis  were  well.  Here  in  Brin- 
disi  I  received  further  confirmation  by  cable  from  you  and 
father. 

Of  course  I  am  very  happy  that  dear  father's  ailment  (I 
can't  imagine  what  it  can  be)  is  not  serious  and  fervently 
hope  that  you  will  be  getting  him  into  fine  shape  soon.  I 
hope  by  the  time  I  get  home,  he  will  be  his  old  self  again. 
I  am  equally  glad  that  you  and  Ruth  are  well  and  happy. 

As  to  myself — physically  I  am  disgracefully  fine,  mentally 
I  have  nothing  to  worry  me.  I  am  more  than  anxious  to 
get  home,  to  embrace  you  and  kiss  you,  and  tell  you  of  my 
work,  my  adventures,  and  what  I  have  learned  and  done.  I 
want  to  settle  down,  do  anything  you  want  me  to  do,  mater 
dear,  either  in  business,  in  society  or  even  as  a  husband! 
Yes,  dear  mother,  I  am  willing  to  do  what  you  always  hinted 
I  should  do — take  unto  myself  a  wife,  emulate  father's  exam- 
ple and  be  a  good  American  business  man  and — a  "pater- 
familias." 

I  didn't  intend  to  write  all  this,  but  since  the  cat  is  out  o' 
the  bag,  I  may  as  well  confess  it.  I  can  imagine  you  now 
going  over  the  list  of  eligible  girls;  for  of  course  there  isn't 
a  girl  living  who  would  not  jump  at  the  chance  of  marrying 
your  boy,  your  handsome  John — all  we  have  to  do  is  to  pick 
the  best ! 

Seriously,  mother,  I  feel  it  is  time  for  me  to  cease  wan- 
dering and  to  look  for  happiness  and  satisfaction  in  a  home. 
It  is  time  for  me  to  be  a  true  Morton  (tempered,  oi  course, 
with  the  blue  blood  oi  the  Randolphs)  and  try  my  best  to 
carry  out  father's  wishes  and  work  with  him 

I  have  seen  and  learned  a  great  deal,  but  all  that  I  have 
learned  only  confirms  me  in  my  conviction  that  all  work  is 
ennobling,  that  all  true  labor  is  equally  honorable  to  a  man. 
And  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  make  you  proud  of  me.  I  am 
going  to  show  you  a  trick  or  two!  So  you'd  better  sit  up 
and  take  notice ! 

To  come  back  to  the  subject  of  girls — don't  smile,  mater — 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         77 

I  have  gotten  a  glimpse  of  a  girl  I  want  to  know  better.  If 
she  is  what  I  believe  her  to  be,  I  shall  try  to  win  her.  If 
all  goes  well,  and  my  ideal  is  realized — I  am  sure,  dearest 
mother,  you  will  love  her.  I  do  not  think  I  can  lose  my 
heart  to  one  not  worthy  of  your  regard,  and  I  am  too  much 
your  son  not  to  have  my  judgment  swayed  by  feelings  and 
sentiments  like  yours. 

My  taste  has  never  been  impugned — I  must  take  after 
father,  who  certainly  had  an  eye  for  beauty  if  his  choice  of 
a  wife  is  to  be  anything  to  go  by.  This,  between  you  and 
me,  dearest  mother,  is  a  confession. 

Just  think  of  it,  in  a  'few  hours  I  shall  have  shaken  the  dust 
of  Italy  (and  with  it  the  nasty  little  fleas  that  accompany 
it)  ;  in  two  weeks  both  Africa  and  Europe  will  have  become 
a  memory,  and  I  shall  be  on  the  water  sailing  for  my  beloved 
home,  eager  to  breathe  the  free  air  of  America,  greet  the 
star  spangled  glory  of  our  own  land  and  be  with  you  my 
dears — for  better  and  for  worse — for  worse  for  you,  eh? 

Tell  Ruth  to  be  good,  not  to  eat  too  much  turkey  or  pud- 
ding on  Thanksgiving  and  keep  up  her  French.  I  shall 
bring  her  some  new  books  and,  perhaps,  a  poodle  to  talk  to. 
And  give  her  my  love — and  for  goodness  sake  don't  tell  her 
about  the  nonsense  I  have  written  on  the  previous  page. 

To  'father  give  my  dearest  love  and  best  wishes.  If  his 
work  and  health  permit  we  might,  after  New  Year,  run 
down  to  the  Everglades  while  you  and  Sis  stay  in  St.  Augus- 
tine, and  get  some  sport. 

You,  dearest  mother,  I  embrace  many,  many  times. 

I  kiss  and  greet  you  all,  my  dears, 

Your  loving  son, 

JOHN. 

The  letter  sealed  and  addressed,  John  gathered  up 
his  belongings,  paid  his  modest  reckoning  to  the  buxom 
lady  of  the  osteria  and  walked  briskly  to  the  station, 
whence  now  shone  the  first  lights  of  the  evening 
against  the  yellowish  sky. 

Dr.  Brown  and  Mr.  Kelly  were  both  there  to  see 
him  off.  Soon  the  song  of  the  wheels  kept  time  to  his 
thoughts  as  the  train  sped  on  its  way  to  the  North — 
to  the  new  land  of  his  adventure. 


78         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

It  was  a  relief  to  be  once  again  entirely  alone,  alone 
with  his  thoughts  and  his  romance.  His  hand  stole  to 
the  inner  pocket  of  his  coat.  From  among  the  papers 
he  carefully  selected  the  photograph  and  held  it  at 
arm's  length,  contemplating  it  with  happy  anticipation. 

"It  seems  like  a  fool's  errand,  but,  by  Jove,  you  are 
a  beautiful  girl!  May  success  attend  me — and  may  I 
bring  you  back  with  me,  to  my  people — my  sweet- 
heart— my  wife !" 


CHAPTER   VII 

SPARKLING  sunshine  and  a  clear  blue  sky  re- 
minding him  poignantly  of  the  glory  of  the 
Indian  Summer  of  his  own  land,  greeted  Morton 
upon  his  arrival  at  the  neat  and  attractive  ter- 
minal of  Kronstadt — his  present  goal  and  the  town 
that  was  to  be  his  Rubicon.  Kronstadt  once  behind 
him,  and  he  on  his  way  south,  his  adventure  would 
have  begun.  He  thought  of  Khartoum,  recalling  an 
earlier  experience  when  this  furthest  bulwark  of  civ- 
ilization had  been  his  last  outfitting  station  before 
going  into  the  unknown  regions  of  Africa,  and  ex- 
perienced a  similar  sensation  now  that  he  had  felt 
then —  Was  it  a  good  omen? 

The  questions  and  doubts  which  had  beset  him  so 
frequently  during  the  tedious  and  solitary  railway 
journey  across  Italy,  Austria  and  Hungary  again 
assailed  him.  He  tried  to  put  them  out  of  his  mind. 
There  would  be  no  turning  back  for  him.  The  pru- 
dent caution  of  the  Mortons  died  hard,  but  the  Ran- 
dolphs won  out  in  the  end.  Of  course,  he  was  a  fool, 
but  it  was  good  to  be  a  fool  among  so  many  wise  ones 
of  the  earth — good  to  be  this  kind  of  a  fool. 

Deeply  occupied  as  he  was  with  these  and  other 
thoughts — thoughts  of  the  instructions  Count  Rondell 
had  given  him — he  was  yet  sufficiently  diverted  by  the 
glorious  day,  the  novel  and  stimulating  sights,  to 
enjoy  the  short  ride  from  the  station  to  the  St.  Aloy- 
sius  Rectory.  He  admired  the  well-paved  beautiful 
avenue  leading  from  the  railway  station  to  the  town 
nestling  among  the  green  and  brown  hills,  which 

79 


8o        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

stood  out  clearly  against  the  ultramarine  background 
of  bold  mountains. 

Equally  attractive  was  the  town  itself  with  its  quaint 
and  quiet  square,  its  clean  gravel  walks  and  the  groups 
of  religious  statuary  guarded  by  massive  chains  hang- 
ing from  moss-covered  stone  pillars. 

The  red-faced  cabby,  who  looked  like  a  character 
in  a  musical  comedy,  stopped  his  vehicle  before  a  nar- 
row, red  brick  building  somewhat  retired  from  the 
square,  flanked  by  the  gray  walls  of  a  nondescript 
church.  He  pointed  with  his  whip-handle  to  the  small 
stone- faced  door  above  which  was  a  tarnished  cross 
and  grunted  something  that  John  could  not  for  the 
life  of  him  make  out.  Above  the  door,  in  a  circular 
panel,  he  made  out  the  words,  "St.  Aloysius."  This 
was  the  place,  no  doubt.  Dismissing  the  cabby,  he 
walked  up  to  the  door  and  gave  a  vigorous  pull  at  the 
bell-handle.  After  waiting  a  few  minutes,  he  heard 
steps  along  the  corridor  within  and  the  grating  in  the 
door  slowly  opened  revealing  the  wizened  features  of 
an  old  woman  who  peered  inquiringly  out  at  him.  He 
spoke  to  her  in  German  and  inquired  after  Herr 
Reverend  Moskar.  The  little  woman,  after  a  pro- 
longed and  careful  examination  of  Morton,  evidently 
found  him  satisfactory,  for  she  opened  the  door  and 
begged  him  to  enter. 

He  was  ushered  into  a  darkened  sitting  room  and 
had  scarcely  time  to  look  around  him,  when  a  door 
communicating  mysteriously  with  the  interior  of  the 
house  was  opened  and  there  entered  a  heavily  built, 
stout  man  in  cassock  and  mitred  cap.  The  features 
were  grave  and  imposing;  but  when  Morton  gave  his 
name,  he  was  pleased  to  notice  the  face  relax  and  glad 
to  grasp  the  fleshy  palm  extended  to  him  in  welcome. 

"You  are  most  welcome,  Herr  Morton,  as  any  friend 
of  the  noble  Count  Arnim  is.  I  have  already  seen 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         81 

your  servant,  Mr.  McCormick,  and  received  the  letter 
you  sent  by  him."  Had  the  gracious  gentleman,  how- 
ever, brought  any  letters  from  his  noble  patron  the 
Count,  the  priest  humbly  asked. 

John  handed  him  a  letter  from  Rondell  and  showed 
the  ring.  Immediately  the  priest's  attitude  took  on 
an  even  more  friendly  and  courteous  manner. 

"If  you  are  not  too  tired  after  your  lengthy  journey, 
perhaps  you  will  come  upstairs  where  we  can  be  more 
comfortable  and  private." 

Morton  bowed.  The  priest  led  the  way  back  to  the 
foyer  and  whispered  a  few  words  to  the  old  woman 
who  was  standing  near  the  door  with  her  withered 
hands  complacently  folded.  She  retired  at  once. 

"Pardon  me,"  remarked  the  priest  as  they  were 
ascending  the  creaking  stairs,  "but  our  people  are  in- 
quisitive and  somewhat  given  to  gossip."  John  smiled 
his  understanding. 

Morton  was  then  ushered  into  a  well-lighted  room, 
the  sombre  walls  of  which  were  lined  with  well-filled 
book-cases,  above  which  hung  a  number  of  paintings 
of  religious  subjects.  When  they  were  comfortably 
seated,  Father  Moskar  begged  his  visitor  to  speak  as 
frankly  as  he  wished  of  all  that  he  desired  him  to 
know. 

From  a  little  closet  he  brought  out  a  couple  of  gob- 
lets, a  bottle  of  golden  wine  and  filled  the  two  glasses. 
On  the  table  was  a  box  of  cigars  which  he  pushed  over 
to  his  guest.  The  ice  thus  broken,  Morton  entered  on 
his  subject  while  the  old  priest  listened  most  atten- 
tively, taking  in  every  word  said  to  him.  When  Mor- 
ton had  concluded,  the  old  man  said  quickly : 

"Herr  Morton — I  will  do  everything  in  my  power 
— but  do  not  tell  me  your  plans.  It  will  be  better  if  I 
am  not  in  your  confidence.  Count  Arnim  has  told 
you  that  you  could  rely  on  me.  I  am  honored;  but 


82         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

it  will  be  wiser  if  I  act  according  to  your  instructions 
without  being  acquainted  with  your  reasons.  As  I 
understand,  your  man,  Herr  McCormick,  is  now  at 
the  wagoner's,  who  is  one  of  my  flock.  He  will  be 
well  served  there.  I  am  expecting,  at  any  moment, 
the  arrival  of  another  member  of  my  congregation — 
a  certain  Papiu  Ilarian,  who  knows  well  both  the 
mountains  of  our  land  and  those  south  of  the  divide. 
He  speaks  German,  Roumelian  and  Bulgarian  well ; 
he  has  been  a  soldier  and  knows  how  to  obey;  he  is 
also  strong,  hardy  and  reliable.  After  I  have  talked 
with  Ilarian,  you  will  find  him  ready  to  do  anything 
you  ask  from  him.  On  receipt  of  the  letter  your  man 
brought  me,  I  thought  it  well  to  attend  to  a  few  of  the 
preliminaries.  At  the  wagoner's  you  will  find  horses 
bred  in  our  own  hills  and  inured  to  the  mountains. 
The  wagoner  has  ready  what  you  require  and  you 
will  find  he  will  deal  honestly  with  you.  I  shall  pray 
for  you  and  the  success  of  your  venture.  Ach — I 
hear  the  voice  of  Ilarian — pray  permit  me  to  see  him 
alone  first.  Kindly  make  yourself  at  home." 

Father  Moskar  left  Morton  puffing  idly  at  his  cigar. 
He  returned,  however,  in  a  few  minutes  followed  by 
a  man  of  medium  height,  with  broad  shoulders,  short 
neck,  close-cropped,  round  head,  small,  brown  eyes 
deeply  set  under  bushy  brows,  and  a  heavy  mustache 
giving  the  deeply  lined  and  tanned  face  a  rather  fierce 
expression.  His  large  hands  with  prominent  knuckles 
fingered  nervously  a  well-worn  plush  cap.  His  stocky 
limbs  were  encased  in  leather  breeches  and  heavy  cow- 
hide boots. 

"This,  honorable  and  gracious  Herr  Morton,  is 
Papiu  Ilarian,"  remarked  the  priest.  Morton  nodded 
smilingly  and  a  broad  grin  spread  over  Papiu's  face 
as  he  shyly  shuffled  and  bowed.  "I  have  been  speaking 
to  him  and  he  tells  me  he  is  ready  to  start  at  once. 


UNDER    THE     BIG    DIPPER         83 

He  expects  to  receive  two  florins  per  diem,  the  cus- 
tomary fee  of  an  Alpine  guide,  and  his  term  of  hire 
begins  now  and  may  end  whenever  you  choose.  I 
have  given  him  information  about  the  character  of  the 
work  to  be  performed.  You  may  rely  on  him.  He 
has  a  younger  brother,  Mihai,  lately  a  resident  of  Rou- 
melia,  who  can  also  be  hired,  if  you  wish.  He  vouches 
for  him.  Mihai,  however,  speaks  very  little  German, 
but  he  is  quick  and  bold.  I  have  sworn  Papiu  to  obey 
and  follow  you.  He  wishes  to  shake  hands  with  you 
to  bind  the  agreement.  If  you  will  shake  hands  with 
him,  Herr  Morton — the  oath  to  me  will  have  been 
transferred  to  you.  I  will  leave  you  together  now 
and  will  return  when  you  call  me." 

He  bowed  gravely  and  passed  through  the  door 
silently. 

Morton  had  been  scrutinizing  the  face  of  the  guide 
while  Father  Moskar  was  speaking.  Not  a  muscle 
of  it  moved,  nor  did  he  stir  an  inch  from  his  rigid 
upright  posture.  The  small,  intelligent  eyes  looked  at 
Morton  steadily  with  calm  assurance. 

Morton  rose  and  offered  his  hand  with  a  hearty 
gesture.  Papiu  seized  it  in  a  vice-like  grip.  Morton 
felt  the  man  would  be  as  true  as  steel. 

"Papiu,  when  we  get  back,  I  shall  pay  you  liberally, 
and  if  we  are  successful,  I  shall  make  you  rich !" 

"Herr  von  Moorton — a  bargain  is  a  bargain.  I  am 
your  man  and  you  are  my  master.  Whatever  your 
nobleness  orders — Papiu  will  do." 

Looking  boldly  into  Morton's  face,  he  continued: 
"And  my  brother,  he  is  good  with  horses,  quick  with 
the  rifle,  has  eye  like  a  hawk  and  knows  Roumelia 
and  the  people.  If  I  hire  him  for  you,  he  will  swear — 
and  his  oath  is  good.  You  pay  him  the  same  money 
and  give  his  sweetheart  a  present  when  we  come  back 
— Mihai  will  help  good." 


84        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

"Very  well,  Papiu,  tell  him  he  is  engaged.  And 
now — let  us  go  and  look  up  the  wagoner,  where  my 
friend  waits  for  us.  Do  you  know  him?" 

"I  have  seen  him  judging  the  horses.  He  looks 
good  and  strong  and  is  kind  to  the  beasts.  He  comes 
with  us,  he  my  friend." 

"Good,  Papiu,  let's  go  then." 

Morton  had  a  very  busy  time  of  it  during  the  rest 
of  the  forenoon.  He  found  Donald  waiting  for  him 
and  with  his  and  Papiu's  help,  they  made  the  necessary 
purchases  and  loaded  the  wagon.  The  things  he  had 
shipped  from  Italy  had  been  delivered  and  were  also 
included  in  the  load. 

During  a  frugal  meal  partaken  of  in  the  smithy, 
Morton  arranged  that  he  would  start  early  that  very 
afternoon  by  the  regular  train  for  Bucharest,  in  his 
assumed  character  of  prospective  investor  and  buyer 
of  blooded  horses.  Donald  and  the  two  brothers  were 
to  leave  next  morning  with  the  vehicle  and  the  relay 
horses.  They  were  to  join  him  on  Saturday  at  Padina, 
where  they  would  make  arrangements  for  relay  horses 
and  prepare  a  safe  stopping  place  a  night's  drive  be- 
yond Padina  on  their  way  to  the  mountains. 

Mihai  now  came  on  the  scene  and  was  duly  intro- 
duced. Papiu  held  some  speech  with  him,  looking 
very  serious  and  impressive.  He  explained  to  Morton 
that  the  holy  father  had  instructed  Mihai  and  that  his 
brother  would  like  to  shake  hands  with  Herr  von 
Moorton.  Morton  accepted  the  hearty  grip  of  the 
mountaineer  who  smiled  his  gladness. 

Mihai  proved  to  be  an  elongated  copy  of  his  elder 
brother.  On  being  consulted,  he  suggested  the  "Bovu 
Aro"  (Golden  Calf)  Inn  as  a  good  rendezvous,  a 
little  beyond  Padina.  Morton  congratulated  himself 
on  having  secured  the  services  of  two  such  fine  fellows. 
He  impressed  upon  them,  however,  the  necessity  for 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         85 

avoiding  giving  cause  for  suspicion  to  the  natives  of 
the  country  they  were  about  to  travel,  and  especially  to 
steer  clear  of  any  military  guards.  His  own  man, 
Don,  would  keep  out  of  sight  as  much  as  possible,  so 
that  a  great  deal  would  be  left  to  their  discretion.  If 
they  were  asked  their  business  they  were  to  say  that 
they  were  but  going  to  market  and  returning;  they 
would  enter  Padina  from  the  Northwest,  on  the  road 
running  in  from  the  Aluta  Valley.  On  this  road  they 
were  to  make  a  careful  record  of  all  telegraph  sta- 
tions, villages  and  houses  between  their  last  stop  and 
Padina.  He  gave  them  money  sufficient  to  carry  them 
on  their  way  and  for  any  further  expenses  they  might 
be  compelled  to  incur.  The  two  men  said  they  under- 
stood his  instructions  and  would  follow  them  carefully. 

The  horses  were  hitched  into  the  shafts  of  the  stout, 
canvas-covered  wagon  now  all  loaded  and  ready.  Don 
and  the  two  men  got  in;  the  wagoner  mounted  the 
seat  and  with  a  parting  good-bye  and  a  crack  of  the 
driver's  whip,  they  lumbered  away,  leaving  Morton 
alone  in  the  yard.  He  looked  after  the  wagon  and 
as  he  saw  it  disappearing  in  the  distance,  he  speculated 
as  to  what  would  be  the  outcome  of  this  enterprise — 
an  enterprise  so  suddenly  put  to  him  and  so  suddenly 
entered  on.  Surely  it  would  end  well !  Nay,  it  must 
end  well.  Putting  all  doubts  out  of  his  mind,  he  made 
his  way  to  Father  Moskar's  rectory.  He  thanked  the 
old  priest  heartily  for  his  kindness  and  promised  to 
come  back  and  tell  him  the  result  of  his  undertaking. 
The  old  man  gave  him  his  blessing  in  return. 

At  the  depot  he  found  his  train  waiting.  It  was 
made  up  of  a  number  of  baggage  cars  and  but  one  car 
for  passengers.  Finding  a  comfortable  seat,  he  amused 
himself  in  watching  the  conductor,  in  resplendent  uni- 
form, running  alongside  the  train  as  he  kept  blowing 
energetically  through  a  little  horn  the  signal  to  the 


86         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

engineer  to  start.  Soon  the  labored  puffing  of  the 
locomotive  told  him  that  he  was  at  last  on  his  way. 
It  was  a  wearisome  journey,  all  up-grade,  through 
deep  cuts  and  over  widely  stretched  viaducts;  but  he 
was  too  much  occupied  with  anxious  thoughts  of  the 
coming  days  to  notice  the  beauty  of  the  mountain 
scenery.  He  felt  the  pulling  power  of  the  engine  and 
realized  hazily  that  they  were  climbing,  climbing, 
climbing.  Suddenly  it  seemed  to  him  as  if  the  train 
had  been  lightened  of  a  load,  and  looking  out  he  saw 
that  the  engine  had  slowed  down  and  that  they  had 
arrived  at  a  little  station  on  a  small  plateau.  A  promi- 
nent sign-post  caught  his  eye.  It  was  printed  red, 
white  and  green  on  one  side,  and  a  bright  yellow  and 
crimson  on  the  other.  They  had  reached  the  boundary, 
the  divide,  and  all  around  him  rose  up  the  great  peaks 
of  the  Carpathians. 

The  gorgeous  conductor  stepped  up  to  the  compart- 
ment and  informed  Morton  that  he  would  have  to 
change  now.  On  the  platform  he  found  a  number  of 
gendarmes  busily  engaged  in  examining  the  passen- 
gers' baggage.  One  of  these  accosted  Morton  in  for- 
eign-sounding German,  and  asked  him  for  his  valise 
and  passport. 

Everything  was  found  to  be  in  order.  The  gen- 
darme, made  happy  by  the  gift  of  a  cigar,  ushered 
Morton  into  another  car  on  a  side-track.  A  shrill 
blast  and  the  train  moved  slowly  out.  Soon  the 
descent  began  and  the  rapid  motion  roused  Morton  to 
his  surroundings.  It  was  a  truly  magnificent  sight  to 
behold.  White  peak  on  white  peak  gleamed  in  the  bril- 
liant golden  light  of  the  afternoon  sun.  Then  came 
rounded  hills  and  after  these  the  sharper  contours 
of  the  Alpine  range;  and  before  he  had  had  time  to 
take  it  all  in,  the  train  had  entered  the  rolling  meadows 
and  glades  of  the  Great  Danubian  plain. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         87 

The  splendid  panorama  had  passed  and  Morton's 
interest  subsided.  He  leaned  back  against  the  leather 
upholstery  of  the  compartment  once  more  alone  with 
his  thoughts.  Occasionally  the  conductor  would  look 
in  at  the  window  from  the  stepping  board  on  the  out- 
side of  the  car  and  nod  pleasantly  to  him.  Morton 
would  return  the  greeting  automatically  and  resume 
his  meditations.  Yes,  he  was  learning,  and  learning 
fast.  In  the  desert  from  which  he  had  but  lately 
stepped  out,  so  to  speak,  a  man  was  measured  by  his 
offensive  or  defensive  value — whether  he  would  pro- 
tect himself  or  be  a  danger  to  others.  In  the  coun- 
tries of  civilization,  he  was  similarly  appraised,  al- 
though in  terms  of  social  standing  or  money.  In  this 
isolated  Transylvania,  however,  into  which  he  had 
come,  he  had  found  a  difference.  Here  was  a  loyalty 
founded  on  faith  in  human  nature  and  religion.  Father 
Moskar  had  gently  but  firmly  declined  even  his  offer 
of  a  contribution  for  the  poor;  while  the  two  rough 
men  had  refused  more  than  their  just  wages  for  their 
services.  How  different  were  these  from  those  he  had 
known  in  his  past  life!  Nay,  how  different  even  from 
himself!  Why  had  he  undertaken  this  enterprise? 
He  could  not  help  confessing  to  himself  that  his  mo- 
tives were  really  selfish  ones.  What  lay  behind  his 
readiness  to  rescue  the  Count's  daughter  if  not  his  own 
desires?  Was  not  even  love  itself  a  selfishness — the 
supremest  of  all  selfishness  ? 

"I  have  been  too  long  in  the  desert,"  he  muttered 
to  himself;  "it  is  high  time  I  came  back  to  civilization. 
Man  was  not  created  to  live  alone." 

The  train  crossed  a  bridge  and  the  noise  made  by 
the  sound  roused  him  to  his  whereabouts.  He  was 
nearing  his  destination.  The  approach  to  the  capital 
of  Roumelia  was  not  marked  by  the  usual  signs  of  a 
large  city's  outlying  districts.  He  missed  the  fac- 


88        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

tories  and  the  tall  chimneys  belching  forth  smoke;  he 
saw  no  railroad  crossings,  or  culverts,  or  streets 
crowded  with  toilers.  Instead,  he  made  out,  in  the 
dark  and  gloom  of  the  fast  oncoming  evening,  gaunt 
buildings  against  a  leaden  sky  and  sparsely  lit  thor- 
oughfares. Then,  with  snortings  and  puffings,  the 
train  entered  the  ill-smelling  and  smoky  shed  of  the 
depot.  He  was  in  Bucharest. 

Scarcely  had  he  alighted  when  a  villainous  looking 
porter  grabbed  his  valise  from  him  and  said  some 
words  in  a  language  which  was  Coptic  to  Morton.  He 
decided  to  allow  the  fellow  to  have  his  way  and  fol- 
lowed him,  through  the  press  of  outgoing  people,  to 
the  entrance.  Here  he  found  a  uniformed  individual 
with  a  magnificent  beard  black  as  coal.  Catching  the 
porter  by  his  sleeve,  he  held  him  while  he  asked  of  the 
soldierly  Swengali,  in  English,  the  name  of  a  good 
hotel.  He  was  evidently  understood,  for  the  uniformed 
person  spoke  to  the  porter  and  in  wretched  English 
asked  Morton  to  follow  him  to  the  Grand  Hotel  Metro- 
pole.  John  then  noticed  that  the  name  of  this  hotel 
was  embroidered  in  gold  on  the  man's  cap. 

The  porter  was  feed  and  relieved  of  his  burden, 
and  Morton  found  himself  installed  in  a  hotel  bus 
which  was  soon  rattling  noisily  over  the  stones.  Ar- 
rived at  the  hotel,  he  registered  as  from  Cleveland,  U. 
S.  A.,  and  was  given  fairly  decent  rooms. 

His  first  business,  after  he  had  made  himself  pre- 
sentable, was  to  write  a  short  note  to  Mr.  Bronson, 
the  American  Consul,  to  whom  he  had  letters  of  intro- 
duction from  Brindisi.  He  invited  him  to  dine  with 
him  that  same  evening.  Morton  knew  that  there  was 
magic  in  his  visiting  card  and  had  no  doubt  that  his 
invitation  would  be  accepted. 

This  done,  he  leisurely  descended  the  broad  stair- 
way that  led  to  the  large  and  rather  garishly  deco- 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         89 

rated  foyer  there  to  await  the  return  of  his  messen- 
ger. 

He  had  no  sooner  stepped  into  the  hall  than  he  was 
accosted  by  a  tall  and  lean  individual  in  faultless 
lounging  suit,  who  addressed  him  in  perfect  French 
by  name  and  presented  his  card.  He  was  M.  Pus- 
cariu,  Agent  of  the  Department  of  the  Interior — 
Would  Monsieur  Morton  permit  him  to  ask  him  a 
few  questions — excusable  in  the  present  state  of  the 
country?  He  was  sure  that  Monsieur  would  have  no 
objection. 

Monsieur  Morton  had  none.  He  held  the  card 
before  him  and  read  the  name  slowly  and  with  perfect 
composure.  Trouble  was  beginning  already,  he 
thought.  He  begged  Monsieur  Puscariu  to  pro- 
ceed. 

The  sergeant  of  gendarmes  had  reported  that  Mon- 
sieur Morton  had  an  American  passport  and  had 
registered  from  Cleveland.  The  passport,  however, 
had  been  issued  at  Rome,  and  within  five  days  it 
seems.  Would  Monsieur  Morton  kindly  explain. 

John  was  nonplussed.  He  looked  anxiously  around 
for  his  messenger  and,  luckily,  spied  the  boy  just  en- 
tering and  moving  toward  the  clerk's  desk.  If  there 
was  one  man  on  earth  more  than  any  other  that  he 
wanted  for  a  moment,  it  was  the  American  Consul. 
Begging  Monsieur  Puscariu  to  excuse  him  for  a 
moment,  he  hurried  towards  the  messenger  boy  and 
was  informed  by  him  that  Signer  Bronson  would  be 
at  the  hotel  without  delay. 

Greatly  relieved,  he  rejoined  Monsieur  Puscariu 
and  informed  him  that  the  American  Consul  would 
arrive  presently  and  explain  for  him.  In  the  meantime, 
would  not  Monsieur  join  him  in  a  cigarette?  Mon- 
sieur Puscariu  would  be  delighted.  What  a  bond  of 
fellowship  there  is  in  a  smoke!  It  is  well  called  the 

7 


90        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

pipe  of  peace.  Morton  and  the  agent  to  the  Secretary 
of  the  Interior,  as  they  sat  together  on  the  broad 
lounge  would,  to  a  stranger  entering  the  hotel,  have 
seemed  to  be  life-long  friends,  so  quickly  had  the 
cigarette  dissipated  all  feelings  of  restraint.  Surely 
it  is  the  frailties  rather  than  the  virtues  that  cement 
human  relations !  It  would,  indeed,  seem  as  if  it  were 
the  touch  of  weakness  which  makes  the  whole  world 
kin.  Perhaps,  this  it  was  which  made  Monsieur  Pus- 
cariu  look  on  the  American  stranger  as  a  gentleman. 
Had  he,  however,  entertained  any  other  thoughts  there 
was  no  time  to  dwell  on  them  for  Mr.  Bronson  just 
then  entered  hurriedly. 

Morton  rose  to  meet  him  and  was  greeted  in  return 
with  considerable  effusion.  When  the  Consul  learned 
the  object  of  the  agent's  presence,  he  drew  the  official 
aside — and  told  him  very  impressively  who  this  Mr. 
Morton  was.  The  change  that  came  over  the  face  of 
Monsieur  Puscariu  was  amusing.  From  an  official 
solemnity,  it  melted  almost  instantaneously  into  smil- 
ing respect.  Here  was  a  man  whose  very  breath  was 
odorous  of  ready  cash.  Ah,  yes,  this  was  quite  a  dif- 
ferent matter.  There  was  no  necessity  for  any  ex- 
planations— none  whatsoever. 

But  Morton  insisted.  He  informed  the  two  gentle- 
men that  he  was  to  be  in  Bucharest  but  for  a  few  days. 
He  had  come  to  make  a  preliminary  and  merely  cursory 
investigation  of  the  status  of  certain  oil  concessions. 
He  was  desirous  to  find  out  how  the  government  would 
take  the  investment  of  foreign  capital  for  developing 
this  natural  product  of  the  country.  At  present,  how- 
ever, he  would  prefer  to  engage  an  attorney  of  high 
standing  to  make  these  inquiries  and  report  to  him. 
Incidentally,  he  might  seize  the  occasion  of  his  visit  to 
secure  some  good  stallions  and  a  few  brood-mares  of 
the  celebrated  strain  of  Carpathian  percherons  for  his 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         91 

farms  in  Ohio.  These  were  his  principal  reasons  for 
asking  the  Consul  to  call  on  him. 

Monsieur  Puscariu  and  the  Consul  exchanged  quick 
glances — here  was  a  fine  opportunity  for  both.  The 
Roumelian  was  now  convinced  that  the  quiet  young 
man  must  be  made  much  of — there  was  no  doubt 
about  that.  He  was  the  more  firmly  convinced  after 
smoking  one  of  Morton's  fine  cigars  and  drinking  a 
glass  of  Tokay.  He  knew  the  very  attorney  for  Mon- 
sieur Morton's  business.  He  would  send  the  gentle- 
man to  call  if  Monsieur  Morton  desired  it.  As  Mon- 
sieur Morton  did  desire  it,  Monsieur  Puscariu  was 
still  more  firmly  convinced  of  John's  importance. 
Assuring  Monsieur  Morton  of  his  most  sincere  esteem 
and  promising  that  the  honored  visitor  to  his  beloved 
country  would  receive  every  consideration,  the  agent 
bowed  himself  out,  leaving  John  alone  with  the 
Consul. 

Mr.  Bronson,  a  bright  young  fellow  from  one  of  the 
South  Atlantic  states,  quickly  took  occasion  by  the 
ear  and  informed  John  of  his  disappointment  with  the 
position  he  occupied  in  Bucharest.  His  salary  was 
far  from  adequate  for  his  office.  It  was  bad  enough  to 
be  in  Bucharest  before  the  political  upheaval ;  but  since 
the  revolution, — the  place  had  become  absolutely  a 
hell's  hole.  There  was  no  money  in  his  job!  His 
fees  for  the  past  few  weeks  wouldn't  buy  a  square 
meal. 

If  John  had  any  scruples,  they  vanished  at  hearing 
Mr.  Bronson's  words.  He  felt  himself  justified  in 
throwing  out  hints  of  the  "governor  always  taking 
care  of  his  friends,"  and  spoke  of  fees  and  commis- 
sions for  parties  handling  the  proposition  rightly.  He 
indulged  in  some  "tall  talk"  about  petroleum,  and 
asked  the  Consul's  opinion  as  to  the  fitness  of  the 
attorney  the  agent  had  recommended.  The  Consul 


92        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

knew  him  and  advised  his  retention;  he  was  in  with 
the  powers  that  be,  and  that,  just  now,  was  impor- 
tant. 

The  attorney  was  sent  for  and  arrived  so  quickly 
that  Morton  concluded  Puscariu  had  not  wasted  any 
time.  The  lawyer  proved  to  be  the  very  man  he 
wanted — shrewd,  obsequious  and  greedy.  A  fat  re- 
tainef  to  this  powerful  gentleman  and  he  was  sure  he 
would  neither  be  disturbed  nor  watched.  From  this 
same  individual  he  obtained  the  name  of  a  breeder  of 
horses  whose  stud  was  an  hour's  drive  from  Padina, 
in  a  small  town  at  the  foothills  of  the  Arges.  He  ob- 
tained this  information,  as  well  as  a  letter  of  introduc- 
tion, on  the  plea  that,  as  he  would  be  going  north  for 
a  couple  of  days'  hunting,  he  would  like  to  utilize  the 
time  looking  for  horses.  He  thought  he  would  be 
back  in  Bucharest  the  following  Saturday  or  Sunday, 
in  which  event  he  would  advise  the  Consul  and  Mr. 
Attorney. 

When  the  two  gentlemen  left  Morton,  they  were 
both  richer  by  many  dollars  than  they  had  been  prior 
to  their  visit.  They  parted  from  him  with  still  larger 
hopes  of  future  reward,  and  anxious  to  do  the  rich 
American  every  service  in  their  power. 

Morton,  as  he  mounted  the  staircase,  congratulated 
himself  on  having  done  a  good  day's  work — he  was 
convinced  he  had  provided  for  the  removal  of  many 
unknown  obstacles  in  his  way. 

In  his  room  he  sat  down  at  the  table  and  wrote  the 
following  letters: 

The  first  in  German,  and  written  with  a  stub  pen 
and  in  a  disguised  and  uneducated  hand,  on  plain 
paper,  was  addressed  to  Sig.  Jacobo  Rosen,  Casa 
Cornu,  Via  Colomba,  Padina.  Rosen  was  the  name  of 
the  Jewish  merchant  recommended  by  Count  Ron- 
dell. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         93 

HON.  SIG.  ROSEN: — 

Your  friend,  the  good  Sig.  Nimar,  the  merchant  returning 
from  India,  Arabia  and  Egypt,  was  taken  seriously  ill  in 
Italy  and  could  not  come  in  person.  He  has  heard  from 
Constantinople  and  so  as  to  admit  settlement  of  the  business 
pending  between  yourselves  has  requested  and  empowered 
me  to  act  for  him. 

I  shall  be  in  your  town  to-morrow  evening  intending  to 
purchase  horses  from  the  Olata  ranch  for  export.  I  desire 
to  buy  the  two  famous  mares  about  which  Sig.  Nimar  spoke 
to  me. 

Upon  my  arrival  I  shall  call  upon  you  and  ask  you  to 
arrange  the  affairs  of  your  friend  so  that  I  can  conclude 
my  business  at  an  early  date.  I  have  moneys  with  me  and 
papers. 

I  shall  stop  at  the  "Bovu  Oru." 

Most  Respectfully, 

JOHN  R.  MORTON. 

This  letter  he  enclosed  in  a  soiled  envelope. 

The  second  letter,  written  on  the  hotel's  paper  and 
with  a  fine  pen,  was  addressed  to  his  father  at  210 
Euclid  Ave.,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  U.  S.  A. : 

BUCHAREST,  October ,  189 — . 

DEAR  FATHER: — 

I  arrived  here  to-night,  and  immediately  got  into  touch 
with  the  Consul,  Mr.  J.  S.  Bronson,  and  through  him  with 
an  attorney,  Sig.  Andra  Jonescu,  whose  card  I  herewith  en- 
close. He  was  recommended  to  me  as  the  best  lawyer  on 
affairs  of  land  titles,  etc.,  and  looks  and  acts  like  a  capable 
business  man.  He  understands  English  well  and  you  can 
correspond  with  him  directly.  I  have  paid  him  his  retainer 
and  he  will  make  a  preliminary  report  shortly. 

I  am  going  to  try  to  get  some  good  percherons  from 
the  "Olata"  ranch — our  own  strain  will  stand  some  new 
blood.  If  I  secure  any  good  animals  I  will  try  and  ship 
them  while  I  am  here. 

Everything  appears  to  me  to  be  quite  normal ;  transfer  of 
titles  would  be  perfectly  legal  and  all  acts  of  the  de  facto 
government  will  stand  test,  I  am  told.  We  should  have  no 
difficulty  in  dealing  either  with  owners  of  land  or  the  ad- 
ministration. 


94         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Of  course,  I  shall  act  with  due  caution  and  have  some 
official  of  high  rank  confirm  this  before  acting  finally. 

The  government,  I  am  told,  would  welcome  the  investment 
of  foreign  capital  in  land  and  industries  and  will  give  both 
protection  and  guarantee. 

I  am  well  and  have  enjoyed  the  trip.  I  will  not  remain 
longer  than  the  business  requires.  I  might  get  a  chance 
at  some  good  shooting  (there  is  fine  game  to  be  had  in  the 
mountains  and  in  the  Delta),  in  which  case  I  may  prolong 
my  stay  a  few  days.  If  I  don't  get  to  Paris  by  November 
2oth,  will  cable. 

With  love  to  dear  mother  and  Ruth,  I  am,  dear  'father, 

Your  loving  son, 
JOHN. 

Putting  on  his  coat  and  cap,  John  walked  down  to 
the  foyer,  and  having  learned  from  the  gloriously 
arrayed  and  imposing  chief  porter  the  location  of  the 
nearest  mail  box,  he  leisurely  sauntered  toward  it. 

The  street  was  totally  deserted,  not  even  a  lighted 
shop  window  was  to  be  seen.  This  surprised  him. 
He  had  been  told  that  Bucharest  was  known  as  the 
"Paris  bf  the  East."  It  looked  like  anything  but  that 
just  now.  He  surmised  the  change  was  owing  to  the 
troubled  times.  As  he  slipped  the  letters  into  the  mail 
box,  he  had  a  feeling  that  he  had  been  followed. 
Without  in  the  least  betraying  his  suspicions,  he  paused 
and  lit  a  cigar  and  then  slowly  made  his  way  back  to 
the  hotel,  smiling  quietly.  "You  are  welcome  to  read 
both  letters — but  one  of  them,  I  guess,  you  won't 
recognize  as  mine,"  he  muttered  to  himself. 

The  next  morning  was  spent  in  making  a  few 
necessary  purchases.  He  visited  the  principal  streets, 
and  made  it  his  business  to  look  into  the  largest  stores. 
He  observed  that  he  was  being  followed  wherever  he 
went;  but  he  took  no  notice  and  went  about  his  busi- 
ness as  if  seeing  nothing.  The  town  was  in  that  state 
of  suspended  animation  that  betokens  an  unusually 
unsettled  condition.  Shopkeepers  seemed  surprised  to 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         95 

find  a  patron ;  the  few  women  he  saw  were  sober  and 
barely  let  their  glances  fall  on  him,  though  it  could  be 
easily  seen  that  Morton  was  a  stranger — he  had  taken 
good  care  to  get  himself  up  like  the  typical  English 
tourist.  Few  conveyances  of  any  description  dis- 
turbed the  curious  quiet  that  had  come  over  the  city, 
a  quiet  as  if  from  drowsiness. 

Evidently,  an  ominous  cloud  was  hovering  over  the 
place,  and  Morton  felt  that  he  was  walking  on  the  thin 
crust  of  a  lake  of  molten  lava,  when  any  moment  his 
feet  might  break  through.  Wherever  he  went  he  was 
certain  to  meet  either  a  "Guarda  Civil"  with  his  fierce 
mustachios,  or  an  officer  with  clanking  sword  and 
spurs,  or  a  gendarme  in  his  bizarre  hat  and  baggy  pan- 
taloons many  inches  too  long  for  him.  But  no  one 
said  a  word  tc  him,  nor  did  he  hear  any  words  spoken. 

He  was  not  sorry  to  find  that  a  train  would  take 
him  to  Padina  and  land  him  there  that  evening. 
Quickly  packing  a  valise  and  informing  the  clerk  that 
he  would  retain  his  room,  he  made  his  way  to  the  rail- 
way station  and  found  the  train  on  time. 

At  the  Padina  depot,  he  inquired  from  a  sleepy  look- 
ing guard  after  the  best  hotel,  and  was  glad  to  have 
the  man  point  down  the  street  to  the  very  house  he 
had  intended  to  stay  at.  It  was  but  a  short  walk  and 
the  foggy  evening  air  hid  the  inhospitable  appearance 
of  the  place.  But  it  could  not  hide  the  miserable  con- 
dition of  the  roadway,  a  trench-like,  broad  furrow, 
between  low,  dingy  buildings  of  box-like  structure. 
It  was  full  of  holes  and  pitfalls,  and  a  pedestrian  sank 
ankle-deep  in  its  mud.  John  recognized  the  hotel  by 
its  swinging  sign — an  unnaturally  meaty  bull  painted 
with  garish,  coppery  bronze — which  glittered  in  the 
feeble  rays  of  an  antiquated  oil  lamp  fastened  above 
it.  He  set  down  his  bag  and  with  a  resigned  sigh 
gave  a  vigorous  pull  at  the  bell-handle. 


96        UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

The  door  was  opened  by  the  landlord  in  person. 
He  looked  astounded  to  see  a  man  with  a  valise — evi- 
dently, guests  were  not  an  event  of  everyday  occur- 
rence. But  his  countenance  quickly  assumed  its  pro- 
fessional smile  and,  with  a  nod  of  his  unkempt  head, 
he  invited  Morton  in.  To  Morton's  inquiries,  he  re- 
sponded in  a  curious  jargon  of  German  and  Roume- 
lian,  which  Morton  understood  sufficiently  to  be  satis- 
fied that  he  would  find  the  accommodation  he  needed. 

Bearing  aloft  an  ill-smelling  and  smoky  tallow  can- 
dle in  a  tin  receptacle,  the  landlord  led  the  way  up  a 
stairway,  the  walls  of  which  had  been  anciently  plas- 
tered and  whitewashed.  Arrived  at  the  upper  floor, 
he  entered  a  room  and  placed  the  light  on  a  small 
table  and  the  guest's  bag  on  a  most  uninviting  looking 
bed.  Then,  turning,  he  gave  vent  to  some  more  gut- 
tural sounds  and  left  Morton  alone.  The  sounds  were 
intended  to  convey  the  information  that  the  gentle- 
man's dinner  would  be  ready  in  half  an  hour  in  the 
tap-room. 

It  was  with  many  misgivings  that  Morton  looked 
about  the  cell  that  was  to  serve  as  his  residence  for 
the  next  few  days.  The  prospect  was  by  no  means  a 
pleasing  one.  The  walls  of  a  dirty  white,  roughly 
plastered,  showed  many  cracks  and  nail-holes,  and 
numerous  blotches  of  soot  or  smoke  where  previous 
visitors  had  evidently  sent  up  burnt  offerings  on  the 
altar  of  a  night's  peace  from  vermin.  The  bed,  piled 
high  with  pillows  and  quilts,  assured  warmth,  but  not 
cleanliness;  a  rickety  washstand  with  rough  bowl 
and  pitcher,  both  chipped  and  cracked,  two  rickety 
chairs,  a  small  table,  and  a  number  of  wooden  pegs 
driven  into  the  wall,  completed  the  furnishing.  This 
was  the  first  real  shock  to  John's  fortitude.  He  had 
realized  that  he  might  have  to  encounter  dangers,  but 
he  never  thought  that  he  might  be  nauseated,  In  his 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER         97 

camp  in  the  desert,  vermin  and  insects  were  a  part  of 
the  natural  order  of  things,  so  to  speak;  but  in  this 
"hotel" — faugh! — Morton's  lips  twisted  themselves 
into  an  expression  of  disgust. 

Still,  it  was  an  ill  wind  that  did  not  blow  some  good. 
The  very  primitiveness  of  the  place  would  protect  him 
from  an  espionage  which  might  prove  to  be  far  more 
inconvenient  than  the  discomfort.  And  he  was  not 
just  now  interested  in  offering  suggestions  for  run- 
ning model  hotels.  He  was  about  to  make  up  his  mind 
to  risk  a  descent  to  the  tap-room,  for  he  was  very 
hungry,  when  a  gentle  knock  sounded  on  the  door. 
Taking  the  battered  candlestick  in  one  hand  and  cau- 
tiously opening  the  door,  he  peered  into  the  dark  stair- 
landing.  In  the  flickering  light,  the  shadow  of  a  man 
stretching  along  the  deal  boards  of  the  hall  seemed 
gigantic.  But  the  feeling  aroused  by  the  size  was 
quickly  dispelled  by  the  voice  which  emanated  from 
the  person.  In  a  low,  whining  and  apologizing  tone, 
and  in  a  language  which  was  intended  for  German, 
the  man  inquired  for  the  most  honorable  and  respected 
Signor  Moor-ton. 

John  made  himself  known.  The  little  man  bowed 
low,  removed  his  hat,  and  begged  permission  to  intro- 
duce himself.  He  was  the  unworthy  and  humble 
store-keeper  Rosen,  a  purveyor  to  the  wants  of  trav- 
elers whatever  their  needs  or  desires  might  be.  Would 
not  his  Honor  permit  him  to  be  the  first  merchant  of 
the  town  to  offer  his  services  to  provide  whatever  the 
gentleman  wished  to  purchase  in  Padina?  His  stock 
of  goods  was  the  choicest  to  be  had  anywhere  outside 
of  Bucharest  and  the  prices  the  lowest. 

John  was  very  much  taken  aback.  Was  this  gro- 
tesque and  trembling  shadow,  this  ridiculous  little 
figure  the  man  in  whom  the  Count  had  placed  such 
reliance?  Was  he  to  be  the  mainstay  of  his  enter- 


98         UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

prise  ?  It  surely  could  not  be.  And  yet  he  must  have 
come  in  response  to  the  letter  Morton  had  sent  him, 
the  night  before.  Perhaps  the  fellow  was  playing  a 
part  of  set  purpose!  Still,  it  was  an  untimely  hour 
for  a  visit. 

"Why  do  you  come  here?  Why  did  you  not  wait 
and  see  me  downstairs?  You  Jews  don't  waste  any 
time,  that's  certain.  Well,  now  that  you  are  here,  come 
in  and  state  your  business.  Be  quick  about  it  for  I 
haven't  much  time  1" 

He  had  spoken  roughly,  and  with  a  quick  turn  he 
walked  into  the  room. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

WITH  much  bowing-  and  scraping  and  apolo- 
getic mumblings,  the  Jew  passed  through  the 
doorway  and  into  the  room.     Once  within, 
he  gave  a  quick  turn  and,   closing  the  door  quiet- 
ly,  he  carefully  pushed  home  the  bolt  on  the  inner 
panel.     When  he  turned  again,  John  was  astonished 
at    the    transformation    in    the    man's    features    and 
bearing. 

The  bent  figure  had  assumed  an  erect  attitude  and 
carried  a  head  surmounted  by  a  brow  indicative  of 
high  intellectuality.  In  the  light  of  the  candle  which 
now  shone  fully  on  his  face,  the  fine,  dark  eyes  were 
full  of  intelligence.  He  continued  to  speak  in  a  whin- 
ing voice,  as  he  held  out  a  piece  of  paper  to  Morton, 
of  matters  of  trade ;  but  as  soon  as  Morton  had  taken 
the  paper  from  him  he  whispered :  "Read  while  I  talk. 
Answer  questions  without  using  names;  we  may  be 
overheard  or  even  watched." 

The  whisper,  in  perfect  German,  was  spoken  with 
the  intonation  of  a  man  of  education.  John  needed  no 
further  explanation  as  to  the  real  personality  of  his 
uninviting  caller.  He  examined  the  writing  and  read : 

"Pay  no  attention  to  what  I  am  saying  now — 
read!" 

"Where  did  you  leave  my  patron?" 

"Have  you  vouchers  to  prove  who  you  are  ?" 

"What  do  you  want?" 

Morton  walked  to  the  table,  and  on  the  reverse  side 
of  the  paper  wrote : 

99 


IPO      UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

"In  ill  health  at  Brindisi." 

"Have  letter  from  Nimar  and  the  Count's  ring; 
countersign,  'Arnim's  pledge/  ' 

"Want  to  take  two  girls  out  for  a  long  drive." 

He  handed  the  paper  back  to  the  Jew,  who  never 
ceased  from  talking  and  gesticulating  while  he  glanced 
quickly  at  the  replies  Morton  had  written.  Morton 
took  the  Count's  ring  from  an  inner  pocket  and  held  it 
out  in  the  light.  Rosen  bowed  courteously. 

"All  is  well !"  he  said  in  low,  clear  tones.  "To-mor- 
row morning  at  nine  walk  along  the  street  to  your 
right,  and  under  the  third  tree  after  passing  the  corner 
you  will  see  a  small  boy  in  a  red  cap,  playing.  When 
he  sees  you,  he  will  walk  off.  Follow  him.  He  will 
enter  a  doorway.  Pass  through  after  him.  Twenty 
paces  further  you  will  see  an  open  gate  in  a  high  wall. 
Pass  through  that  also  and  bolt  the  gate  after  you. 
To  your  right  in  the  garden,  you  will  find  a  green 
door.  It  will  be  unlocked;  enter,  and  if  anyone  asks 
you  your  business  say  you  want  to  see  Sig.  Rosen 
about  the  rare  old  crucifix  he  offered  you.  My  daugh- 
ter Rachel  will  be  there.  She  will  guide  you.  Is  every- 
thing clear?" 

Morton  nodded. 

The  Jew  then  resumed  his  cringing  manner  and, 
backing  softly  to  the  door,  he  slipped  the  bolt  back  and 
passed  through,  whining  aloud  in  his  sing-song  tones : 
"I  thank  your  Honor  for  your  indulgence.  I  hope  you 
will  let  me  show  you  the  articles  I  spoke  of.  I  can 
also  exchange  foreign  money  for  our  own.  I  have 
beautiful  jewelry  that  would  please  your  ladies,  and 
very  fine  Turkish  arms  and  antiques  to  show  you.  The 
best  and  rarest  articles  from  Persia  and  Anatolia  can 
be  found  in  our  town.  I  am  your  obedient  servant — 
Good  night!  and  thank  you,  your  Honor." 

The  last  words  came  up  to  Morton  from  the  bottom 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       101 

of  the  stairway  and  were  accompanied  by  the  sound 
of  the  man's  feet  shuffling  along  the  hallway. 

Things  were  developing!  Morton  blew  out  his 
candle  and  felt  his  way  to  the  tap-room  where  he 
found  the  promised  supper  awaiting  him.  The  land- 
lord looked  unconcerned  and  served  him  rather  surlily 
and  with  ill-concealed  indifference.  Sitting  at  a  small 
table  in  the  corner,  and  removed  from  the  range  of  an 
oil  lamp  suspended  from  the  ceiling  in  the  middle  of 
the  room,  sat  a  man  apparently  engrossed  in  the  con- 
tents of  a  black  bottle  before  him.  Ah — this,  then, 
was  the  explanation  for  the  Jew's  caution !  The  fellow 
did  not  even  glance  at  Morton,  foreigner  as  he  must 
have  struck  any  native  to  be.  He  was  evidently  there 
for  a  purpose.  Morton  took  no  notice  of  him,  but 
busied  himself  in  doing  justice  to  the  savory  dishes 
provided  for  him.  He  took  his  time  about  eating  and 
ordered  a  bottle  of  wine  which  he  found  excellent. 

His  hunger  appeased,  he  invited  the  landlord  to 
help  him  finish  the  bottle.  The  landlord,  nothing  loth, 
drank  heartily  and  answered  readily  the  questions  Mor- 
ton put  to  him,  which  related  only  to  horses  and  hunt- 
ing, and  took  a  second  bottle  to  satisfy.  And  still  the 
man  in  the  corner  said  not  a  word,  but  kept  on  sipping 
the  liquid  in  his  glass  and  staring  vacantly  before 
him.  When  Morton  had  finished,  he  bade  the  land- 
lord good  night  and  ascended  the  stairs  to  his  room. 

In  spite  of  his  first  distaste  for  the  bed,  Morton 
found  it  more  inviting  now  that  he  had  had  a  decent 
meal  and  was  feeling  the  effects  of  the  wine  he  had 
drunk  with  the  landlord.  He  slept  very  soundly, 
though  his  sleep  was  filled  with  dreams  of  running 
fights  with  rough  men  and  hairy  beasts,  of  scaling 
rocky  heights  and  sliding  into  deep  pits,  of  detectives 
following  him  wherever  he  went  and  of  a  greasy- 
looking  Jew  grinning  at  him. 


102       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

When  he  awoke,  the  full  daylight  was  slanting 
through  the  openings  of  the  blinds.  He  was  soon 
dressed  and  in  the  tap-room  eating  his  breakfast.  His 
meal  finished,  he  lit  a  cigar  and  walked  carelessly 
down  the  street. 

Keeping  to  the  right,  he  found,  as  Rosen  had  told 
him,  a  boy,  under  the  third  tree,  deeply  intent  on  play- 
ing with  some  glass  balls.  Before  he  had  approached 
to  within  some  yards  of  the  spot,  the  urchin  had  col- 
lected his  marbles  and  was  throwing  and  catching  his 
fez  in  the  air.  When  he  had  almost  reached  the  lad, 
the  little  fellow  ran  off  and  disappeared  through  a 
low  door  in  a  plastered  wall.  Morton  noted  the  spot 
and,  walking  nonchalantly,  passed  through  it,  with  a 
carelessness  of  manner  that  betokened  utter  indiffer- 
ence. 

He  now  found  himself  in  a  narrow  garden  plot 
bordered  by  a  red  brick  walk.  There  was  little  enough 
in  the  garden  to  attract  the  attention — only  a  bed  or 
two  of  autumn  flowers,  and  at  the  far  end,  a  grape 
vine  roofing  a  small  rustic  kiosk.  Beyond,  the  view 
was  cut  off  by  a  low  rambling  structure  with  heavy  tile 
roofing,  the  weather-worn  eaves  of  which  were  covered 
with  deep  moss.  There  was  no  sign  of  life  anywhere, 
except  the  chattering  of  a  few  sparrows  in  the  dense 
boxwood  hedge  along  the  walk,  and  the  cooing  of 
some  pigeons  strutting  on  the  brick  walk. 

Remembering  the  Jew's  instructions,  he  threw  away 
his  cigar  and  turned  to  his  right.  A  green  door  in 
the  plastered  building  confronted  him.  When  he  had 
closed  the  door  behind  him  a  voice  from  the  dark 
shadows  of  the  hallway  called  out :  "Who  is  there  ?" 
He  gave  his  name  to  the  invisible  interlocutor  and 
added  that  he  had  come  to  see  the  crucifix  Herr  Rosen 
had  for  sale. 

By  this  time  his  eyes  had  grown  accustomed  to  the 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER        103 

darkness  and  he  could  make  out  the  figure  of  a  woman 
approaching.  A  door  was  thrown  open  and  he  was 
asked  to  enter. 

The  room  in  which  he  found  himself  was  invitingly 
cozy.  It  was  furnished  with  an  old-fashioned  hair- 
cloth couch  and  deep  chairs.  A  finely  carved  round 
table  and  an  old  desk,  littered  with  papers,  occupied 
the  rest  of  the  space.  The  walls  were  covered  in  dark 
leather  and  decorated  with  choice  etchings.  In  a 
corner  a  choicely  carved  cupboard  stood  out  in  its 
classic  distinction.  He  had  barely  time  to  note  these 
things  when  he  heard  the  creaking  of  a  door  to  his 
left.  The  hanging  was  thrust  aside  and  a  small  but 
well-built  young  woman  approached  smilingly  and 
courtesied  to  him  with  quiet  self-possession. 

"I  am  Herr  Rosen's  daughter,  Rachel.  Please  be 
seated." 

John  bowed,  sank  into  the  nearest  chair,  the  bounti- 
ful proportions  of  which  he  thoroughly  enjoyed — it 
was  very  comforting  after  his  restless  night.  At  once 
the  young  woman  plunged  into  the  subject,  speaking  in 
fluent  German. 

"What  do  you  wish  me  to  tell  you,  Herr  Morton? 
Have  no  hesitation;  you  may  trust  me  fully." 

"I  am  here  to  take  two  ladies  out  of  the  country, 
Miss  Rosen.  Perhaps  it  will  be  better  if  I  do  not  give 
their  full  names."  Miss  Rosen  nodded  knowingly. 
"Very  well,  then,"  continued  Morton,  "my  first  object 
is  to  be  introduced  to  Miss  Mary  and  Miss  Helene. 
Then  I  want  to  find  out  how  they  are  being  detained." 

Miss  Rosen  hesitated  for  a  moment  and  then  spoke 
rapidly  as  if  she  were  thoroughly  conversant  with  the 
whole  matter. 

"Miss  Marie  is  more  or  less  a  prisoner  in  the  castle — 
exactly  opposite  this  house" — she  pointed  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  red  tiled  building  he  had  observed  in  the 


io4       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

garden.  "Miss  Helene,  however,  is  allowed  more 
freedom.  She  will  be  here  in  less  than  an  hour.  She 
would  not  forsake  Miss  Marie  and  is  with  her  as  her 
companion.  She  comes  here  every  day  after  chapel 
for  some  of  the  things  they  are  permitted  to  have.  She 
is  supposed  to  be  at  her  prayers,  but  she  comes  to  us 
instead.  I  will  see  that  you  meet  her  in  this  room. 
It  would  be  no  use  for  you  to  speak  to  Miss  Marie; 
the  poor  girl  could  not  help  you  in  any  way.  Miss 
Helene  is  different.  She  will  do  whatever  you  ask 
her  if  it  means  their  freedom." 

"How  are  they  confined,  Miss  Rosen?" 

"The  Princess — pardon  the  slip,  but  no  one  can 
hear  us  here — Miss  Marie  is  in  the  south  wing  of  the 
castle,  adjoining  the  chapel,  which  is  built  close  to  the 
enclosure  of  the  grounds  and  at  the  South  Gate — the 
side  entrance  to  the  summer  castle.  If  you  go  through 
our  house  that  way,"  and  she  pointed  to  her  right, 
"you  will  reach  Calla  Aurel;  almost  directly  opposite 
to  our  house  is  the  entrance  gate.  Marie  is  never  al- 
lowed to  go  out,  but  Helene  is  permitted  to  walk  in 
the  town  for  an  hour.  If  she  exceeds  that  time,  she 
will  not  be  allowed  to  go  back." 

"Then  Miss  Helene  could  leave  Padina  if  she 
wished?"  inquired  John  in  surprised  tones. 

"No,  the  gates  of  the  town  and  the  railway  are 
guarded  day  and  night.  No  one  can  leave  unobserved ; 
indeed,  scarcely  a  soul  has  left  town  in  the  last  two 
weeks.  But  she  could  be  gotten  out  of  town,  however, 
if  she  could  find  anybody  to  undertake  the  task. 
Father  has  offered  to  arrange  it;  but  she  declines  to 
go.  Miss  Helene  will  not  leave  the  Princess." 

"Can  you  suggest  a  way  by  which  Miss  Marie 
could  be  smuggled  out?" 

"I  know  of  only  one  way  which  I  think  would  be 
feasible." 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       105 

The  young  woman  looked  earnestly  at  Morton  as 
if  trying  to  read  his  mind.  "May  I  tell  it  to  you?" 

"By  all  means.  Your  father  has  told  me  I  can  rely 
on  you.  Tell  me  what  you  have  in  your  mind." 

The  girl  smiled.  "I  will,  but  my  plan  requires  quick 
action.  Our  maid  is  the  sister  of  Sergeant  Valera, 
who  is  in  command  of  the  guards  at  the  south  en- 
trance to  the  palace.  One  of  the  guards  is  her  sweet- 
heart— they  are  to  be  married  as  soon  as  he  can  afford 
it.  The  girl  tells  me  that  her  Marco  will  do  anything 
for  her.  She  can  arrange  that  he  shall  be  the  guard 
on  any  required  night.  The  rest  would  be  simple — 
merely  a  liberal  sum  of  money." 

John  looked  at  the  girl  admiringly.  "Splendid, 
Miss  Rosen,  splendid!  The  money  will  be  easy — I'll 
attend  to  that.  Arrange  for  Marco  to  be  the  guard  for 
to-morrow  night  and  I'll  get  them  both  out  of  this 
place.  Can  you  manage  it?"  John  had  risen  in  his 
excitement.  "I'll  look  over  the  ground  now,  if  I  may." 

"Not  so  fast,  Herr  Morton,"  came  in  quiet  tones 
from  Miss  Rosen.  "You  will  only  arouse  suspicion. 
Wait  here  for  the  present.  Miss  Helene  will  be  here 
now  any  minute  and  you  can  talk  it  over  with  her 
first." 

"You  know  best,  dear  lady,"  and  John,  somewhat 
calmed,  reseated  himself. 

"Tell  me,  Herr  Morton,  what  news  from  the 
capital  ?" 

"Things  are  in  a  very  unsettled  state  there,  I  am 
afraid,  Miss  Rosen.  The  fate  of  the  royal  family 
and  the  imprisoned  leaders  of  the  nobility  is  not  known 
positively.  The  Parliament  has  adjourned  for  the 
celebration  of  the  feast  of  All  Souls  and  will  not 
re-open  until  Saturday  evening.  It  is  expected  that 
Flava  will,  on  that  day,  try  to  carry  the  assembly  in 
favor  of  his  extreme  views  and  that  the  Flavarists 


io6       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

and  the  liberal  Left  will  cast  their  vote  with  him  if  he 
so  chooses.  Everybody  takes  it  for  granted  that  he 
will  ask  for  a  vote  condemning  the  royal  family  and 
nobility  to  expulsion  or,  perhaps,  worse.  He  will  not 
spare  any  of  them.  In  the  cafes  it  is  rumored  that 
he  is  seeking  to  duplicate  the  proceedings  of  the 
French  Chamber  after  the  fall  of  the  Gironde — and 
you  know  what  that  means !  If  we  are  to  act,  we  must 
act  promptly,  or  it  may  be  too  late.  The  two  ladies 
must  be  out  of  this  town  by  Sunday  at  the  latest." 

Rachel's  face  had  grown  pale.  Her  hands  kept 
crossing  and  uncrossing  convulsively,  and  a  look  of 
deep  fear  came  into  her  eyes. 

"God  of  my  people,"  she  whispered  in  an  awed  voice, 
"this  is  terrible!  You  are  right,  Herr  Morton,  the 
ladies  must  be  taken  away.  Oh,  Herr  Morton — our 
peasants  and  our  townspeople  here  are  so  good  and 
obedient  if  only  they  are  left  to  their  own  good  na- 
tures. So  happy  and  contented!  They  love  their 
homes,  they  love  peace  and  adore  their  king!  Un- 
happy land — the  football  of  ambitious  villains!  Yes, 
yes,  Herr  Morton,  the  ladies  must  be  rescued.  And 
we,  too, — my  father  and  I  will  go  also.  God  help  us !" 

Morton  listened  silently  to  this  outburst,  unable  to 
say  a  word.  What  crimes  are  not  committed  in  the 
name  of  liberty !  And  what  fearful  sufferings  are  not 
endured  for  those  so-called  rights  of  man! 

"Father  has  told  me  that  you  are  an  American.  You 
are  the  first  from  that  country  I  have  met.  You  look 
as  if  you  could  accomplish  what  you  undertake.  Oh, 
how  I  wish  I  could  help !" 

"You  can,  nay,  you  are  helping,  Miss  Rosen.  But 
you  are  too  young  to  have  such  a  burden  and  sorrow 
thrust  upon  you." 

"The  daughters  of  our  race  become  women  very 
early  in  life.  We  ripen  soon.  Our  people  have  had 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       107 

to  bear  a  life  of  persecution  for  many  generations. 
We  know  what  it  is  to  suffer.  That  has  ever  been  the 
lot  of  the  Jew.  Believe  me,  Herr  Morton,  ours  is  but  a 
brief  childhood." 

Morton  could  say  nothing;  he  could  but  look  the 
sympathy  he  was  feeling.  The  color  had  mounted  to 
the  girl's  cheeks  and  she  was  speaking  from  an  over- 
flowing heart : 

"It  will  help  you,  perhaps,  to  know  that  my  father 
has  always  been  very  close  to — to  Miss  Helene's  father. 
They  were  friends  for  many  years.  Father  is  a  very 
learned  and  wise  man,  Herr  Morton,  and  very  brave 
and  loyal.  Once  he  is  your  friend,  he  is  always  your 
friend.  You  can  rely  on  my  father.  He  will  be  here 
shortly.  He  is  absent  on  purpose.  He  did  not  want 
to  be  in  when  you  called,  so  as  to  put  off  suspicion." 

Morton  could  not  help  admiring  the  fine  poise  and 
keen  mind  of  this  remarkable  young  woman — seem- 
ingly a  child  in  years,  but  a  woman  in  sense.  "You 
and  your  father  should  come  to  my  country,  Miss 
Rosen.  Your  father's  talents  would  be  recognized 
there,  and  you  also,  with  your  wit  and  beauty.  In 
my  country,  your  people  are  powerful  and  honored. 
Persuade  your  father,  won't  you?  If  he  needs  help  I 
will  help  him." 

"Thank  you,  Herr  Morton;  but  I  hear  some  one 
coming.  It  is  Miss  Helene." 

Rachel  bounded  up  and  was  through  the  door  in  a 
flash.  In  that  moment,  however,  he  realized  whom  he 
was  to  meet.  He  stood  up,  his  heart  beating,  and 
waited.  He  had  not  to  wait  long,  for  the  curtain  was 
pushed  aside  and  the  lovely  face  of  the  photograph  was 
framed  in  the  doorway. 

The  clear,  mellowed  light  which  filtered  through 
the  lace  curtains  of  the  windows  fell  full  on  the  sweet 
countenance  and  revealed  the  slender  figure  as  it  stood 


io8       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

against  the  velvet  background  of  the  portieres.  Miss 
Rosen  had  thought  it  best  not  to  come  in  with  her. 

The  door  behind  the  curtains  closed  with  a  gentle 
click.  She  came  toward  the  center  of  the  room  and 
leaned  one  hand  against  the  table  whilst  the  other 
timidly  rested  upon  her  bosom,  which  was  rising  and 
falling  in  her  agitation. 

Morton's  gaze  was  riveted  on  her.  He  saw  as  in  a 
vision  the  pale  face  of  soft  contour,  the  delicate  nose 
with  quivering  nostrils  above  slightly  parted  tremulous 
lips — moist  as  with  the  dew  of  innocent  childhood, 
the  eyes  encircled  by  dark  shadows — blue  eyes,  the 
blue  of  the  wood-violet.  She  was  more  beautiful 
than  his  dreams.  She  was  looking  at  him  with  a  piti- 
ful, questioning  look,  which  went  to  his  heart  and 
roused  him  from  his  state  of  trance.  All  his  manhood 
rose  up  in  him  in  response  to  the  appeal,  and  bowing 
deeply,  he  said : 

"I  am  Mr.  John  Morton,  Comtesse,  a  friend  of  your 
dear  father.  I  am  the  bearer  of  a  letter  from  him  to 
you."  He  held  the  package  towards  her.  "I  am 
here  to  be  of  service,  if  I  can,  to  you  and  the  Prin- 
cess." 

With  her  hand  still  upon  her  bosom,  she  whispered 
rather  than  spoke: 

"Miss  Rosen  has  told  me  you  have  letters  from  my 
father — pray  forgive  me — I  have  been  walking  fast 
and  am  a  little  out  of  breath 

She  took  the  letter  in  a  delicate,  white  hand  and 
saw  that  its  envelope  was  unaddressed.  It  was  sealed, 
but  in  the  corner  she  noted  her  father's  mark. 

"Thank  you.     Permit  me." 

With  trembling  hands  she  broke  the  letter  and, 
turning  towards  the  window,  began  to  read. 

During  the  reading,  John  stood  drinking  in  the 
beauty  of  the  agitated  girl.  He  was  exultant  and 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       109 

distressed  by  turns.  Exultant  in  that  fate  had  led 
him  to  her— distressed  at  the  sorrow  that  had  come 
into  her  life.  Come  what  may,  he  would,  at  least, 
rescue  her  from  her  present  cruel  position  and  bring 
her  to  where  life  would  be  worth  living1.  His  whole 
soul  welled  up  in  him,  and  it  was  only  after  a  great 
effort  of  will  that  he  calmed  himself  to  the  exigen- 
cies of  the  moment. 

The  letter  read,  the  girl  dropped  her  arms  listlessly. 
She  turned  to  Morton,  her  eyes  filled  with  tears : 

"How  was  my  father  when  you  left  him,  Mr.  Mor- 
ton ?  Was  he  very  ill  ?" 

Her  voice  broke  a  little  from  the  stress  of  her 
feelings.  She  spoke  in  excellent  English,  though 
with  a  distinctly  foreign  accent,  and  both  tone  and 
words  went  to  the  young  man's  heart. 

"Count  Rondell  was  not  well,  but  he  was  not  suf- 
fering. He  wished  me  to  hand  you  this  ring  as  a 
further  guarantee  of  myself.  I  was  also  to  repeat  to 
you  his  message :  'From  Arnim  to  his  Kindchen.' ' 

Helene  broke  down  utterly  at  these  words.  She 
took  the  ring  with  trembling  hand  and  kissed  it  pas- 
sionately the  while  tears  coursed  down  her  pale 
cheeks. 

John  turned  away  and  watched  the  sparrows  flit- 
ting across  the  garden.  The  scene  in  the  stateroom 
with  her  father  rose  before  his  mind,  and  again  a  deep 
yearning  filled  him. 

"Forgive  me,  Mr.  Morton.  My  father's  letter  un- 
nerved me.  What  am  I  to  do  ?" 

John  turned  a  face  full  of  smiling  sympathy : 

"Comtesse,  let  me  first  assure  you  that  I  am  en- 
tirely at  your  service.  Your  father  could  only  sug- 
gest some  plans,  but  I  hope  I  shall  be  able  to  find 
a  way  out.  But,  pray,  be  seated." 

Comtesse  Helene  sank  into  the  chair  lately  occu- 


no       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

pied  by  Miss  Rosen.  She  looked  up  at  Morton  with 
eager  questioning  in  her  eyes. 

"Can  you  obtain  for  me  an  interview  with  the  Prin- 
cess, Comtesse?"  Morton  asked. 

Helene  shook  her  head.  "That  would  be  impossi- 
ble," she  whispered. 

"Well,  it  may  not  be  necessary.  Miss  Rachel  has 
suggested  a  plan  which  fits  in  excellently  with  the 
preparations  I  made  before  coming  to  Roumelia. 
Could  you  and  the  Princess  be  ready  to  leave  by  Sat- 
urday evening?" 

Helene  gasped  with  wide  eyes.  Morton,  seeing  her 
state  of  mind,  smiled  reassuringly. 

"Have  no  fear,  dear  lady,  all  will  be  well.  But 
you  will  help  me  if  I  know  how  to  proceed.  Are 
either  of  you  permitted  to  leave  the  castle?" 

"Why — I — I  can  go  out  every  forenoon  for  an 
hour.  The  Princess  is  not  permitted  to  leave  the 
castle.  We  live  on  the  second  floor  of  the  wing  ad- 
joining the  chapel — the  wife  of  Captain  Gradsiano, 
of  the  guard,  shares  the  floor  with  us.  On  the  floor 
below  us  are  the  guard  rooms  and  the  Captain's 
office.  We  are  permitted  to  go  to  chapel  for  our 
devotions  every  morning  and  evening  and  on  Sun- 
days for  mass  at  eleven.  I  am  the  only  attendant  on 
the  Princess.  Signora  Gradsiano  sends  a  woman 
with  our  meals  at  the  regular  hours." 

"Who  goes  with  you  to  chapel?" 

"The  guard." 

"Comtesse,  to-morrow,  on  your  way  to  vespers, 
walk  as  close  to  the  gate  as  you  can.  I  understand 
the  chapel  adjoins  the  South  Gate.  I  shall  be  there 
with  my  men,  ready  to  take  you  both  away.  A 
closed  carriage  will  be  in  waiting,  with  good  horses. 
Bring  nothing  with  you,  for  everything  will  be  pro- 
vided for  your  comfort  and  needs.  Put  on  your 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       in 

stoutest  shoes  and  your  stoutest  hearts.  If  you  have 
any  papers  or  jewels  that  you  value  you  may  bring 
them,  but  nothing  else.  Will  you  do  this?" 

"But  where  are  we  going  to?"  the  girl  asked 
piteously. 

"Your  father  instructed  me  to  take  you  to  Thu- 
ringia.  Did  he  not  tell  you  that  in  his  letter  ?" 

"Yes.  He  says  I  am  to  follow  her  Highness  there. 
But  how  are  we  to  get  there  ?" 

"I  will  see  to  that,  Comtesse.  Every  preparation 
has  been  made,  even  to  the  securing  of  fresh  horses 
for  the  road.  Believe  me,  you  need  have  no  fear.  I 
have  trusty  men  to  help  me,  and  they  will  be  ready." 

Morton  spoke  confidently  and  looked  the  confidence 
he  felt. 

"Time  flies,  Comtesse.  Your  hour  is  almost  up. 
When  you  see  the  Princess,  pray  tell  her  of  the  plan 
and  see  that  she  is  ready.  I  will  be  here  to-morrow 
at  this  time  and  give  you  final  instructions." 

The  girl  rose,  her  lips  trembling  and  her  eyes  filled 
with  doubt.  She  walked  slowly  to  the  curtained 
door,  her  head  bent.  John  drew  aside  the  drapery, 
and  opening  the  door  bowed  deeply,  saying:  "Until 
ten  to-morrow,  then,  Comtesse.  I  beg  of  you  to  be  of 
good  cheer;  and  permit  me  to  say  that  we  are  deeply 
devoted  to  your  cause." 

Helene  bowed  her  head  lower  and  left  the  room 
without  a  word. 

Once  more  he  was  alone — but  not  lonely.  He  had 
seen  her  and  spoken  to  her — face  to  face.  He  felt 
as  if  he  had  been  on  that  high  mountain  and  had 
come  down  again,  his  face  shining.  "God  is  good 
to  me,"  he  breathed  to  himself.  He  was  grateful 
for  the  silence  of  the  room,  grateful  also  that  no  one 
came  in  to  disturb  his  thoughts.  Mechanically  he 
sat  down  and  lit  a  cigarette.  Everything  was  going 


ii2       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

well — everything  would  go  well,  if  the  Princess 
agreed.  How  easy  it  would  be  if  the  Comtesse  alone 
were  concerned!  And  as  he  thought  of  Helene  his 
whole  being  dissolved  into  pity.  How  worn  she 
looked  and  yet  how  beautiful!  The  blue  of  her  eyes 
was  the  color  of  heaven  itself.  Would  they  ever  shine 
on  him  with  love? 

The  sound  of  voices  in  the  hall  woke  him  from 
his  dreams.  A  moment  later  the  door  was  pushed 
open  and  the  alert  face  of  Rachel  with  its  dark  and 
flashing  eyes  showed  itself  in  the  doorway.  She  was 
followed  into  the  room  by  her  father. 

The  Rosen  who  appeared  now  was  an  entirely 
different  Rosen  from  the  servile  trader  of  the  pre- 
vious evening.  He  was  neatly  dressed  in  sober  black 
and  faultless  linen,  and  gave  the  impression  of  being 
a  scholar  rather  than  a  tradesman.  As  Morton  shook 
hands  with  him,  he  could  not  help  noting  the  well- 
cared-for  ringers  which  met  his  in  a  hearty  pressure. 
A  smile  lighted  up  his  features.  John  was  drawn  to 
the  man. 

In  obedience  to  a  nod  from  her  father,  Rachel  with- 
drew and  left  the  men  to  themselves. 

John  was  full  of  his  plans  and  eager  to  have 
Rosen's  opinion.  The  latter  listened  attentively  to  all 
the  details,  nodding  occasionally  in  approval.  Mor- 
ton had  taken  from  his  pocket  a  map  of  the  country, 
laid  it  on  the  table  and  pointed  out  the  routes  he  had 
arranged  on.  Rosen  agreed  that  the  plan  was  a 
good  one,  but  as  John  alone  was  to  get  the  girls  out 
of  the  castle  it  would  be  necessary  for  him  to  have  a 
diagram  of  the  town.  Rosen  supplied  this  by  draw- 
ing one  very  carefully  on  a  sheet  of  paper.  He  ad- 
vised John  that  bribes  were  dangerous  in  the  present 
juncture  of  affairs — there  was  too  much  risk  in  them. 
There  would,  however,  be  nothing  to  fear  from  Marco. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       113 

Once  the  girls  were  out  of  the  town  the  sparsely  set- 
tled country  would  offer  few  obstacles  to  his  getting 
across  the  border.  If  John  could  cut  the  telegraph 
wires  on  the  way  as  he  planned  to  do,  it  would  help 
by  delaying  the  police. 

But  he  would  meet  his  greatest  difficulty  in  the 
actual  crossing  of  the  border,  thought  Rosen.  There 
was  no  road  over  the  mountains  for  hundreds  of 
miles,  except  by  means  of  the  passes,  and  these  were 
well  guarded  by  the  military  and  the  Lingari  gen- 
darmes. If  he  attempted  to  cross  without  a  passport, 
Herr  Morton  might  have  to  fight  for  it.  That  was 
the  weak  part  of  the  plan.  Did  Herr  Morton  real- 
ize it? 

John  coolly  said  he  did  realize  it;  but  he  would 
take  the  risk.  He  was  of  the  firm  opinion  that  he 
would  manage  to  get  through  somehow. 

Rosen  suggested  that  Morton  and  his  men  should 
pass  as  smugglers.  Tobacco  smuggling  was  quite 
common  over  the  border,  and  the  guards  were  amen- 
able to  the  persuasive  power  of  gold.  "It's  the  yel- 
low metal,  Herr  Morton,"  remarked  Rosen  with  a 
smile,  "and  not  paper,  that  will  get  you  across." 

Morton  said  that  he  would  see  to  it  that  he  had  a 
sufficient  supply  of  this  with  him. 

These  matters  having  been  settled  to  both  their 
satisfactions,  John  begged  Rosen  to  instruct  his 
daughter  to  purchase  a  proper  outfit  for  the  young 
ladies — an  outfit  proper  for  the  journey  and  at  the 
same  time  befit  their  station  in  life.  Rosen  promised 
to  see  to  that,  and  the  two  men  parted  for  the  day. 

The  late  noon  found  John  at  his  hostelry  partaking 
of  an  excellently  cooked  dinner  served  in  the  most 
primitive  fashion.  He  then  drove  out  to  the  Olata 
rarich,  where  he  purchased  several  fine  horses  and 
arranged  for  their  removal  on  the  following  Monday. 


ii4       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

His  man,  he  told  the  horsedealer,  could  call  for  them 
and  pay  the  balance  of  the  purchase  price. 

John  had  now  done  everything  that  would  bear 
out  the  statement  he  had  made  as  to  the  purpose  of 
his  visit  to  Roumelia.  He  was  satisfied  that  there 
would  be  no  cause  for  suspicion.  He  would  retire 
early,  since  it  was  imperative  he  should  be  fully  pre- 
pared for  what  had  to  be  done  the  next  day.  The 
morning  would  find  Donald  and  the  men  in  Padina, 
and  he  must  be  up  betimes  to  give  them  their  instruc- 
tions for  the  evening. 

The  man  he  had  seen  drinking  in  the  tap-room  the 
night  before  was  sitting  in  the  same  place  busily  en- 
gaged eating.  As  before,  he  took  no  notice  of  the 
stranger  in  English  clothes,  and  John  was  well  satis- 
fied that  it  should  be  so.  Evidently,  the  authorities 
were  still  deeply  interested  in  him. 

The  windows  rattled  from  a  strong  wind  which  had 
risen.  Gusts  found  their  way  through  cracks  in 
the  panes,  chilling  the  room  and  almost  extinguish- 
ing the  candle.  But  John's  thoughts  were  far  away 
from  the  wretched  room  in  which  he  lay.  He  was 
in  a  palace  in  his  dreams,  gazing  at  the  beautiful 
maiden  who  walked  in  stately  grace  over  its  marble 
floors. 

A  great  gust  almost  blew  the  shutters  off  their 
hinges.  John  awoke  and  shivered.  The  wind  was 
roaring  outside.  "Good,"  he  thought,  "a  storm  will 
be  my  Providence." 


CHAPTER    IX 

MORTON  had  set  the  alarm  clock  for  a  very 
early  hour,  so  that  it  was  still  almost  dark 
when  its  insistent  ringing  roused  him  from 
his  slumbers.  He  was  still  drowsy  and  scarce  knew 
where  he  was.  Then  he  remembered  that  the  day  was 
Saturday  and  the  place  Padina.  In  a  moment  he  was 
out  of  bed  and  dressing  rapidly  in  the  dawning  day- 
light. He  was  thinking  quickly,  too,  wondering  if 
Rachel  Rosen  had  arranged  with  the  maid's  sweet- 
heart, Marco.  That  was  the  key  to  the  first  gate 
which  barred  the  undertaking.  If  she  had  failed,  then 
there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  make  a  bold  dash 
and,  if  the  worst  came  to  the  worst,  fight  for  it.  Well, 
he  would  be  ready  even  for  that,  though  he  hoped 
sincerely  it  would  not  come  to  that. 

But  another  doubt  assailed  him.  Would  the  Prin- 
cess be  willing  to  take  the  step?  Confound  the  Prin- 
cess! He  would  compel  her  to  go.  He  would  not 
permit  himself  to  stand  on  ceremony,  now  that  every- 
thing had  been  arranged. 

Morton  hurried  below  and  found  a  stupid-looking 
lout  sweeping  the  tap-room  floor.  The  door  of  the  inn 
stood  open,  and  a  cold  damp  wind  was  blowing  into 
the  room.  He  stepped  out  and  saw  with  satisfaction 
that  it  was  raining  heavily,  with  a  cold  east  wind 
blowing  in  sharp  gusts.  Returning  to  the  room  he 
inquired  of  the  servant  if  his  breakfast  was  ready; 
but  the  man  looked  at  him  blankly  with  unintelligent 
bovine  eyes.  Evidently  he  was  not  understood.  Re- 
sorting to  signs  he  finally  got  the  fellow  to  catch  his 

"5 


meaning,  for  he  ceased  dusting  and  began  to  lay  the 
table. 

From  the  back  part  of  the  inn  came  now  the  sound 
of  wheels  rumbling  on  cobblestones.  John  realized 
that  this  must  mean  the  arrival  of  Papiu.  Stepping 
quickly  through  the  hallway  to  the  rear  exit  he  saw 
the  very  man  alighting  from  a  primitive  and  cum- 
bersome conveyance,  the  wheels  of  which  would  have 
supported  a  six-inch  gun.  Papiu  took  no  notice  of 
John,  but  kept  looking  at  the  sky  and  examining  the 
house.  Morton  caught  his  cue  from  the  man's  actions 
and  returned  to  the  tap-room,  where  he  found  his 
breakfast  waiting  for  him.  A  few  minutes  later 
Papiu  entered,  dripping  wet,  and,  seating  himself  by 
the  table  adjoining  the  one  at  which  John  was  eating, 
called  loudly  for  the  waiter.  The  landlord,  in  shirt- 
sleeves and  leather  apron,  appeared  now  on  the  scene, 
and  after  exchanging  a  few  words  withdrew  to  attend 
to  Papiu's  requirements. 

Immediately  they  were  alone,  the  driver  leaned 
over  and  deftly  slipping  a  piece  of  paper  into  John's 
hands,  quickly  resumed  his  seat  and  yawned  lazily 
and  loudly.  Morton  read  the  note,  which  was  from 
Donald. 

Everything  had  been  done  as  ordered  and  all  was 
ready.  Mihai  was  waiting  with  the  reserve  team  at 
the  crossroad,  Kilometer  34  of  the  map,  and  Papiu's 
saddle  horse  was  just  beyond  the  town  gate.  He, 
Don,  would  remain  in  the  wagon  until  he  received 
further  orders  from  Mr.  Morton. 

John  was  greatly  relieved.  Returning  to  his  room, 
he  put  on  a  heavy  ulster.  On  his  way  through  the 
tap-room  he  whispered  to  Papiu,  who  was  munching 
black  bread  and  fat  bacon,  "Remain  here  till  you  hear 
from  me,"  and  passed  out  into  the  rain. 

The  street  was  utterly  deserted.     Disregarding  the 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       117 

sweeping,  cold  downpour,  he  made  his  way  to  Rosen's 
house  by  the  gateway  he  had  entered  the  day  before. 
Rachel  greeted  him  cordially  and  smilingly  put  aside 
his  apologies  for  his  soaking  condition.  It  was  the 
very  weather  father  had  been  praying  for,  she  told 
him.  When  he  was  snugly  seated  in  the  room  which 
had  now  become  sacred  to  him,  she  told  him  that 
everything  had  been  arranged  as  they  had  planned. 
Marco  would  be  on  guard  at  the  South  Gate  between 
five  and  seven  that  evening.  The  watchword  was 
"Luna  Dragu."  He  would  permit  two  ladies  to  pass 
out  unchallenged.  It  had  been  settled  that  after  he 
had  been  relieved  Marco  was  to  strike  out  for  the 
big  river,  where  his  people  would  be  waiting  for  him, 
and  cross  over  into  Bulgaria.  His  sweetheart  would 
meet  him  there  later.  As  to  the  clothes  for  the  girls, 
she  pointed  to  three  packages,  each  marked  with  a 
number.  No.  I  was  the  Princess's,  No.  2  the  Comtesse 
Helene's  and  No.  3  the  articles  both  ladies  might  use 
in  common.  John  was  perfectly  satisfied,  and  ex- 
pressed his  sincere  thanks  for  all  the  trouble  she  had 
taken. 

"I  am  only  too  happy  to  serve  them,"  Miss  Rosen 
replied.  "I  shall  be  fully  repaid  when  I  know  they  are 
once  again  in  a  safe  place." 

"You  may  rely  onj  me,  dear  lady,"  said  John  earn- 
estly, "to  do  everything  in  my  power." 

"Father  will  be  in  soon,"  remarked  the  girl,  "he's 
just  gone  out  to  the  cafe  to  hear  the  news.  Won't 
you  sit  in  his  office  until  he  returns  ?  You  may  smoke 
there,"  she  added,  laughing. 

John  thanked  her  as  she  led  him  into  a  small  but 
well-furnished  study  adjoining.  "Here  is  where 
father  does  all  his  important  business,"  she  said. 
"You  will  be  quite  safe  here." 

"Thank  you.    I  will  wait  for  Mr.  Rosen's  arrival," 


u8       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

The  bright  girl  courtesied,  and  with  a  look  of  ad- 
miration at  John  left  the  room  precipitately.  Left 
alone,  John  lit  a  cigar  and  began  studying  the  map 
he  always  carried  with  him.  He  calculated  that  he 
would  make  Kilometer  34  in  about  four  hours,  despite 
the  rain  and  bad  roads.  This  would  mean  that  their 
first  resting  place  would  be  some  thirty  kilometers 
further  in  the  mountains.  That  would  be  well,  indeed. 
But,  again,  doubts  arose  in  his  mind  as  to  what  the 
Princess  herself  would  do.  She  was  the  unknown 
quantity  which  he  knew  not  how  to  allow  for.  How- 
ever, he  would  cross  that  bridge  when  he  came  to  it. 

The  door  was  softly  opened  and  Rosen  entered,  care- 
fully closing  it  behind  him.  The  two  men  wasted  no 
time  in  idle  talk  but  set  themselves  at  once  to  the 
business  in  hand.  Rosen  was  pleased  to  learn  that 
the  team  and  the  men  had  arrived.  He  himself  would 
seq  to  the  delivery  of  the  packages  at  Herr  Morton's 
inn  to  Papiu.  It  would  not  be  necessary  for  John 
to  return  to  the  inn  as  he,  Rosen,  would  discharge 
the  bill  and  see  to  his  baggage.  The  landlord  was  all 
right,  there  was  nothing  to  fear  from  that  quarter; 
but  there  were  spies  about.  He  knew  that.  He  was 
glad  of  the  storm;  it  would  be  their  best  friend. 
Everything  was  working  for  them  and — Rosen  would 
see  to  the  rest. 

John  was  greatly  relieved.  He  had  to  confess  to 
himself  that  the  enterprise  had  assumed,  now  that 
he  was  face  to  face  with  it,  a  rather  dangerous  as- 
pect. He  could  never  have  managed  without  the 
assistance  of  this  devoted  man  and  his  equally  devoted 
daughter.  He  thanked  Rosen,  and  proceeded  to  count 
out  the  gold  for  Marco,  which  Rosen  would  deliver. 

John  found  the  merchant  quick  and  decisive  in 
action,  and  a  most  interesting  companion.  He  was 
a  great  admirer  and  devoted  adherent  of  Count 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       119 

Rondell,  whom  he  regarded  as  his  benefactor.  And 
as  for  the  Comtesse  Helene — ah — he  and  his  would 
gladly  die  for  the  dear  young  lady.  He  mourned  the 
sad  turn  of  affairs,  which  for  the  time  being,  at  least, 
would  leave  the  Count  penniless.  He,  Rosen,  would 
remain  in  Roumelia  for  some  time  to  look  after  Count 
Rondell's  affairs  as  best  he  could. 

A  discreet  knock  and  Rachel  whispered :  "The  Com- 
tesse is  awaiting  Mr.  Morton  in  the  sitting  room." 
Morton  rose  at  once  and  made  his  way  to  the  room. 

Helene  stood  near  the  window,  apparently  in  deep 
thought.  She  was  dressed  in  the  identical  garments 
she  had  worn  the  day  before,  but  she  looked  even 
paler  than  then.  Evidently  she  had  spent  a  restless 
night.  Her  eyes  were  heavy,  with  dark  rings  around 
them;  but  the  blue  in  them  was  a  glimpse  of  heaven 
to  Morton.  She  returned  his  cheery  greetings  with 
a  wan  smile  and  in  words  scarcely  above  a  whisper. 

John  placed  a  chair  and  begged  her  to  be  seated. 
He  told  her  of  the  success  their  preparations  had  so 
far  met  with  and  assured  her  smilingly  that  all  would 
go  well.  What  had  the  Princess  said? 

Helene  sat  and  looked  as  if  she  were  not  listening 
to  him.  Her  lips  quivered  and  she  nervously  fingered 
the  lace  handkerchief  she  was  holding  in  her  hand. 

"Mr.  Morton,  Her  Highness  is  afraid  to  trust  her- 
self to  a  stranger.  She  is  unstrung  and  I  have  not 
succeeded  in  persuading  her  to  act  as  you  pro- 
pose." 

Helene  leaned  forward,  resting  her  elbows  upon  her 
knees,  and  pressed  the  lace  against  her  tired  eyes. 
Suppressing  a  sob  with  a  quick  intake  of  her  breath, 
she  continued  in  a  trembling  voice,  though  with  no 
trace  of  resentment  in  it: 

"Why  did  not  papa  send  someone  we  know — one  of 
our  own  people?  Please,  do  not  misunderstand  me. 


120      UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

I  have  done  all  I  could — I  told  her  everything  you 
bade  me  say," — the  tears  were  not  to  be  denied  now ; 
they  fell  slowly  unchecked. 

John  felt  as  if  he  would  choke.  It  was  as  he  had 
feared !  He  looked  at  Helene  confounded  and  utterly 
at  a  loss  what  to  say. 

"Do  not  blame  Her  Highness,  Mr.  Morton.  She 
has  had  much  to  bear.  She  has  been  waiting,  hoping, 
expecting  news  from  her  brother,  the  Prince,  who 
was  abroad  when  the  dreadful  upheaval  came.  She 
has  not  heard  a  word,  and  she  is  almost  distracted. 
She  cannot  believe  that  she  is  alone  now — that  she  has 
no  friends  any  more.  And  I  don't  know  how  to  con- 
vince her." 

Morton  had  recovered  himself.  He  no  longer  felt 
any  commiseration  for  the  Princess  but  instead  an 
overpowering  resentment  filled  him.  Was  this  girl 
to  be  sacrificed  to  satisfy  an  hysterical  weakling  of 
a  Princess  ?  Once  the  Comtesse  returned  to  the  castle, 
she  would  be  a  prisoner  for  the  day,  and  the  arrange- 
ments for  the  evening  would  have  been  made  for 
nothing.  Why,  it  was  absurd,  ridiculous!  Confound 
all  Princesses!  He  must  take  things  in  his  own  hands 
now. 

His  face  flushing  he  rose  and  planted  himself  firmly 
before  Helene.  "Comtesse,  under  the  circumstances 
there  is  but  one  thing  to  do.  I  am  ready  now,  this 
very  minute,  as  ready  as  I  shall  ever  be.  In  half 
an  hour  the  team  will  be  here.  You  will  get  into  it 
just  as  you  are  and  we  shall  start  north  at  once !  The 
Princess  has  chosen,  and  we — we  cannot  be  expected 
to  sit  down  and  wait  for  Providence  or  a  miracle! 
I  shall  call  Herr  Rosen." 

He  expected,  nay,  dreaded,  a  breakdown  and  a 
flood  of  tears.  But  in  place  of  hysterics,  he  met  a 
woman  as  determined  and  as  proud  as  himself. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       121 

Helena  rose,  her  eyes  flashing,  her  face  pink  with 
indignation. 

"How  dare  you,  sir,  speak  of  Her  Highness  in 
that  manner!  How  dare  you  take  advantage  of  my 
helplessness !  I  am  a  Rondell,  sir,  and  a  Rondell  has 
never  forsaken  his  king.  My  duty  and  my  choice  are 
with  the  Princess.  Permit  me,  sir,  to  retire." 

John  was  dumbfounded.  This  was  worse  than  any- 
thing he  had  even  dreamed  of.  Good  God,  she  must 
not  be  permitted  to  leave  the  house.  What  was  he  to 
do?  Where  was  Rosen  or  Rachel?  He  must  plead 
with  her  until  one  or  the  other  came. 

"I  beseech  you,  Comtesse,  not  to  do  anything  rash! 
I  implore  you  to  be  calm  and  to  listen  to  me !  I  assure 
you,  nothing  was  further  from  my  thoughts  than 
disrespect  towards  the  Princess  or  yourself.  Will 
you  not  oblige  me  by  permitting  me  to  reason  with 
you?" 

Helene,  somewhat  calmed,  looked  piteously  at  Mor- 
ton. Her  resentment  had  vanished  and  in  place  of 
the  proud  royalist  there  stood  the  helpless  woman- 
child.  Her  lips  quivered  and  the  tears  fell  uncon- 
trollably. She  collapsed  rather  than  sat  in  the  chair, 
her  head  sank  upon  her  arm. 

"Oh,  papa — why  did  you  abandon  me?"  she 
moaned.  "Why  didn't  you  come  for  us  yourself — 
why  did  you  leave  me  here  without  anyone  to  advise 
me?" 

Anguish  in  face  and  heart,  John  stood  gazing  at 
her  in  pitiful  sympathy.  He  realized  what  a  hard 
fight  the  child  must  have  gone  through — pleading  and 
persuading  with  the  Princess.  He  began  to  think 
quickly.  He  must  abandon  reasoning  and  plead — 
plead  and  beg  for  a  favor.  He  remembered  some 
words  his  father  had  once  said  to  him :  "Never  argue 
with  a  woman,  my  boy;  kneel  down  to  her,  confess 
9 


122       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

you  have  been  wrong,  throw  yourself  upon  her 
mercy — beg  forgiveness.  She  will  follow  you 
then." 

"Comtesse,  I  beg  you  once  more  to  forgive  me! 
Pray  listen  to  what  I  have  to  say."  He  broke  off 
with  a  catch  in  his  voice. 

"I  have  traveled  five  thousand  kilometers — to  get 
here.  I  have  disobeyed  the  call  of  my  loving  parents, 
of  a  father  who  is  ill,  of  a  mother  who  has  not  seen 
me — her  only  son — in  years.  I  have  come  here  with 
other  brave  and  loyal  men,  to  bring  you  out  of  this 
dangerous  land.  Be  just  to  me,  dear  lady.  I  may 
not  have  the  fervor  of  loyalty  for  royalty,  for  I  am  an 
American — a  republican.  In  my  country  kings  and 
queens  are  but  as  other  men  and  women.  It  is  their 
worth  that  counts  with  us  there.  I  wish  I  could  have 
brought  your  dear  father  with  me.  But  that  was 
impossible.  He  sent  me  to  act  for  him.  Your  father 
is  most  devoted  to  Her  Royal  Highness,  and  I — I  am 
ready  to  do  all  that  he  would  have  done.  But  first 
in  his  heart  is  his  child.  He  enjoined  me,  Comtesse, 
to  think  of  the  Princess  first;  but,  if  I  could  not  pre- 
vail there,  I  was  to  think  of  you.  'For  God's  sake.' 
he  said,  'help  my  child.'  That  is  why  I  am  here, 
and  that  is  why  I  spoke  as  I  did.  If  I  have  done 
wrong  I  beg  you  to  pardon  me." 

John  had  put  his  whole  heart  into  his  words. 
Helene  lifted  her  head  and  turned  her  eyes  on  him 
in  questioning  wonderment.  But  he  left  her  no  time 
to  interpolate. 

"Can  you  blame  me,  dear  lady,  if  your  words  un- 
balanced me?  Faithful  to  my  promise  to  your  noble 
father,  I  have  made  every  preparation.  My  men  are 
ready  and  waiting.  They  will  perish  if  the  Princess 
fails  us  at  this  the  eleventh  hour.  And  after  to-day 
there  will  be  no  hope;  for  to-morrow  the  tyrant  of 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       123 

Bucharest  will  inaugurate  a  reign  of  terror  and  God 
alone  knows  what  will  happen  to  us  all,  then." 

Helene's  eyes  showed  the  remorse  she  was  feeling. 
She  gazed  with  awed  look  at  the  man  who  had  thus 
unselfishly  taken  upon  himself  a  duty  which  should 
have  concerned  her  own  kin.  She  was  ashamed  of 
her  words  and  knew  not  how  to  express  her  changed 
feelings. 

"Comtesse,  will  you  not  speak  with  the  Princess 
again?  Tell  her  of  what  I  have  said  now.  Convey 
to  her  your  father's  earnest  desires.  She  should  think 
of  that,  for  your  father  was  her  father's  most  devoted 
friend.  A  new  duty  has  devolved  on  her ;  in  addition 
to  the  duty  she  owes  to  herself,  she  owes  a  duty  to 
Count  Rondell,  to  you  and,  I  will  say  it,  to  me,  who 
has  her  honor  at  heart.  I  am  now,  I  must  say 
it,  the  one  hope  left.  Assure  her  that  she  may  trust 
me  implicitly.  Your  noble  father,  the  Count,  would 
not  otherwise  have  sent  me.  Go  back  to  the  Prin- 
cess and  use  your  most  persuasive  powers.  If  she 
consents,  all  will  be  well,  and  I  shall  be  very  happy. 
But  give  me,  first,  your  solemn  promise  that,  come 
what  may,  Princess  or  no  Princess,  you  will  be  at  the 
chapel  at  six  o'clock  this  evening,  and  that  you  will 
come  to  the  gate  where  I  shall  be  waiting  for  you. 
Comtesse,  I  cannot  let  you  go  without  that  promise." 

His  eagerness  had  carried  him  away.  He  stepped 
up  close  to  the  trembling  girl  and  took  her  unresist- 
ing hand  and  held  it  firmly  in  his  own  warm,  strong 
one. 

With  parted  lips  and  with  wide  eyes  Helene  had 
taken  in  every  word  of  his  passionate  pleading.  This 
man  would  keep  his  word.  She  was  satisfied  of  that 
now.  And  her  father  had  written  to  her:  "Obey  im- 
plicitly and  follow  Mr.  Morton's  instructions  abso- 
lutely." He  must  be  right. 


124       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Trembling  she  groped  for  the  little  cross  hanging 
upon  her  breast.  God  would  not  let  the  dear  Prin- 
cess perish — and  she — ?  Well,  she  would  try  again 
— she  would  convince  her  mistress! 

"Yes,  Mr.  Morton,  yes!  I  will  do  what  I  can.  I 
promise  everything.  You  are  right — we  must  act  at 
once!  But,  oh,  what  will  happen?" 

She  was  trembling  all  over,  fearful  of  the  picture 
her  fancy  had  conjured  up. 

Morton,  still  holding  her  hand,  gently  led  the  girl 
to  her  seat. 

"Please,  Comtesse,  be  calm  and  take  heart.  Noth- 
ing at  all  will  happen.  We  shall  get  away  and  you 
will  be  safe  and  happy  in  a  few  hours.  Do  not  fear. 
I  swear  to  you  that  we  shall  bring  you  safely  across 
the  border." 

Helene  grew  calmer.  She  felt  her  native  energy 
coming  back,  and  with  a  blush  she  gently  withdrew 
her  hand  from  Morton's  grasp. 

"Mr.  Morton,  I  want  to  thank  you  for  your  good- 
ness and  your  forbearance.  You  have  been  more  than 
kind.  I  promise  to  be  at  the  gate  at  six;  with  the 
Princess  if  I  can,  and  as  I  pray  I  may  be — alone,  if 
I  cannot." 

John  had  won.  Rising  and  bowing  with  reverence 
before  the  beautiful  young  woman: 

"Comtesse — I  thank  you.  I  shall  always  cherish 
your  brave  and  noble  words.  And  now,  if  you  will 
permit  me,  I  must  give  you  your  instructions.  Take 
nothing  with  you,  so  that  no  suspicion  may  be  aroused. 
The  corner  window  opening  toward  the  street  is,  I 
understand,  that  of  your  room.  I  shall  watch  that 
window.  If  the  Princess  consents  to  go,  leave  the 
curtains  closed  as  they  are  now.  If  she  does  not, 
draw  them  apart,  and  I  will  understand.  On  your 
way  to  chapel,  walk  slowly  along  the  chapel  front, 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       125 

which  will  be  in  deep  shadow  at  that  time,  and  go 
to  the  South  Gate.  The  sentinel  will  not  stop  you. 
The  small  door  nearest  the  wall  will  be  open  and  I 
will  be  awaiting  you  there.  If  the  Princess  is  with 
you,  lead  her.  And  now,  Comtesse,  until  six  this 
evening!" 

The  sound  of  Helene's  steps  in  the  hall  brought 
the  alert  Rachel  in  apron  and  turned-up  sleeves  from 
the  kitchen.  She  glanced  questioningly  at  Morton, 
who  simply  nodded  and  said :  "The  Comtesse  knows 
what  to  do." 

The  rest  of  the  day  passed  quickly  in  the  house  of 
the  Rosens.  A,  very  excellent  dinner  was  served  him 
by  his  hostess.  After  dinner  he  smoked  his  cigar 
and  chatted  with  Herr  Rosen  in  the  study.  Later  he 
sat  in  the  little  enclosure  fitted  as  a  counting  room 
adjoining  Rosen's  store,  and  looked  across  the  quiet 
street  at  the  gray  walls  of  the  castle.  The  storm 
had  abated  somewhat  though  the  rain  still  came  down 
and  kept  the  street  deserted.  Through  the  grayish 
veil  of  mist  he  could  distinguish  the  solitary  figure 
of  the  sentiy  in  hooded  cloak,  rifle  reversed  with  bay- 
onet pointing  downward,  slowly  walking  back  and 
forth.  He  could  not  help  speculating  what  the  night 
would  bring.  Now  and  again  he  would  look  up  at  the 
window,  but  no  sign  of  parted  curtains  was  to  be 
seen.  Towards  dark  Rosen  came  to  inquire  if  he 
had  received  any  word.  No,  the  curtains  still  re- 
mained closed. 

An  early  and  silent  supper  was  hastily  partaken  of, 
and  sunset  found  each  man  at  his  post.  John  saw  the 
wagon  drawing  up  at  the  gate  in  the  narrow  street 
to  the  rear.  Good,  Donald  and  Papiu  were  on  the  job. 

Don,  who  was  introduced  to  Rachel,  seemed  to  be 
the  least  nervous  among  them  all.  He  took  things 
phlegmatically  as  if  they  were  a  part  of  his  regular 


126       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

duties.  Outside  the  wind  had  shifted  and  blew  as 
strongly  as  ever.  The  men  waited  for  the  hour  to 
strike.  Rachel  came  in  and  told  John  that  the  maid 
had  reported  to  her  that  Marco  was  on  duty.  John 
shook  hands  with  her  silently.  Then,  with  a  final 
word  of  warning  to  Don,  he  hurried  to  his  post. 


MORTON  braced  himself  against  the  gusts  of 
wind  and  squalls  of  icy  rain  which!  drenched 
his  face  and  body.  It  was  with  difficulty 
that  he  was  able  to  see  his  way.  There  was  no  need, 
he  said  to  himself,  to  keep  a  lookout  on  a  night  like 
this.  All  the  better.  The  flickering  smoky  flame  of 
the  oil-lamp  over  the  main  gate  cast  a  faint  yellow 
light  around  and  threw  ghostlike,  moving  shadows 
about  the  entrance.  Stumbling  frequently  against  the 
large  pebbles  in  the  roadway  and  wading  almost  ankle- 
deep  through  pools  of  muddy  water,  he  managed  to 
reach  the  denser  blackness  along  the  castle  wall,  and 
stopped  under  its  protection  to  take  a  breath. 

Glancing  toward  the  sentry-boxes  he  saw  the  out- 
line of  a  human  figure  as  a  dim  motionless  silhouette. 
His  hand  sought  the  butt  end  of  his  ready  revolver, 
and  the  touch  gave  him  confidence.  Cautiously  he 
groped  for  the  door.  It  yielded  easily  to  his  pressure. 
With  careful  glances  he  satisfied  himself  that  no  one 
was  about — the  street  totally  deserted — the  only 
sounds  to  be  heard  were  the  steady  splash  and  beating 
of  the  rain  and  the?  groaning  roars  of  the  wind. 

Through  the  heavy  bars  of  the  gate  he  could  see 
the  dim  murky  rays  filtering  through  the  befogged 
window  panes  of  the  guardroom  under  the  wing 
which  harbored  the  girls.  As  he  stood  peering  into 
the  distance  a  faint  light  shone  through  the  transom 
over  the  entrance  to  the  chapel,  and  he  knew  they 
were  lighting  up  the  place.  It  was  followed  by  red 

127 


128       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

and  green  rays  of  light  streaming  through  the  stained- 
glass  windows  of  the  nave. 

Some  minutes,  which  to  John  seemed  an  age, 
passed,  when  the  sound  of  a  plaintive  bell  was  borne 
to  him  in  muffled  tones  on  the  damp,  foggy  air.  It 
was  the  vesper  bell.  Immediately  through  the  drifting 
veil  of  slanting  rain  he  perceived  figures  flitting  across 
the  vaulted  opening  in  the  castle  wing.  He  was  con- 
scious of  some  one  moving  in  the  shadow  on  his  right, 
and  before  he  realized  it,  a  heavily  cloaked  figure  came 
into  view  followed  by  a  similarly  clothed  but  smaller 
form,  a  bare  rod  behind. 

Morton  at  once  pushed  the  gate  open  and  waited 
breathlessly. 

"It  is  I — Morton,"  he  whispered,  as  the  first  figure 
neared  him. 

"I  am  Helene  and — "  she  seized  her  companion's 
hand,  too  excited  for  words. 

"We  must  hurry — quick,  quick,"  he  whispered 
sharply.  He  led  them  along  the  shadowy  border  so 
as  to  avoid  the  range  of  light,  and  urge  them  across 
the  street  to  the  scant  protection  of  the  trees  along  the 
opposite  pavement. 

He  could  almost  hear  his  heart  beating  above  the 
panting  of  the  girls  by  his  side.  He  dared  not  run 
and  feared  to  walk  too  slowly.  One  minute  and  the 
worst  would  be  over. 

Helene  walked  steadily,  but  her  companion  stumbled 
frequently  and  was  trembling  in  every  limb  as  she 
held  on  to  his  arm.  Ah — here  at  last  was  Rosen's 
house. 

Donald  was  ready  and  passed  the  girls  through 
without  a  moment's  delay.  They  were  met  by  Rosen, 
who  stood,  his  hands  up  as  if  in  the  act  of  blessing, 
in  the  dimly  lit  hall.  The  noise  brought  Rachel  from 
the  sitting  room.  She  guided  them  through  the  house 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       129 

to  the  exit  on.  the  further  side.  With  an  affectionate 
pressure  of  Helene's  hand  and  a  kiss  on  the  sleeve 
of  the  Princess's  cloak,  she  murmured  her  parting 
wishes. 

Once  more  they  were  in  the  rain,  but  this  time 
sheltered  from  view  by  the  walls  of  the  garden.  Don- 
ald walked  ahead,  lantern  in  hand,  and  opened  the 
gate  for  the  girls  to  pass  through.  Behind  them  came 
Morton  alert  and  ready. 

In  a(few  minutes  they  arrived  at  the  place  where 
the  wagon  stood  waiting.  Quickly  lifting  the  Prin- 
cess, he  whispered  to  her  to  lie  down  on  the  right. 
Then  turning  to  Helene  he  gently  passed  her  in  bid- 
ding her  lie  to  the  left.  The  next  instant  the  black- 
ness of  the  cart's  interior  had  swallowed  him  also, 
and  the  vehicle  rumbled  and  splashed  its  way  as  if 
it  were  being  driven  to  market.  Don  alone  remained 
without,  walking  rapidly  by  its  side  and  searching 
intently  to  the  right  and  left. 

The  girls  huddled  close  together,  and  lay  with  their 
arms  about  each  other.  The  rain  beat  down  on  the 
canvas  covering,  drowning  all  other  sounds ;  only  occa- 
sionally could  they  hear  the  crunching  of  the  wheels 
rolling  clumsily  over1  the  roughly  paved  road.  It  was 
with  difficulty  that  they  kept  themselves  from  falling 
on  one  side  or  the  other.  As  they  were  wondering 
what  might  happen,  they  heard  the  voice  of  Morton 
raised  above  the  din,  assuring  them,  in  German,  that 
everything  was  going  well ;  they  need  have  no  anxiety. 
He  would  light  the  lantern  after  they  had  put  the  town 
gate  behind  them.  He  had  barely  finished  speaking 
when  the  wagon  gave  a  great  lurch  and  bounded  for- 
ward with  a  fearful  clatter.  They  had  entered  the 
main  road  leading  out  of  the  town,  an  abominably 
paved  causeway  which  seemed  to  have  been  made  for 
preventing--anyone  either  leaving  the  place  or  coming 


i3o       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

into  it.  It  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  John 
could  now  make  himself  heard  but  he  managed  to 
convey  to  the  girls  the  information  as  to  where  they 
were  and  that  they  would  soon  arrive  at  the  gate.  It 
would  be  necessary  for  them  to  keep  perfectly  quiet, 
until  that  danger  was  passed. 

Helene  held  on  to  the  hand  of  the  Princess,  whis- 
pering endearing  and  encouraging  words.  She  knew 
that  Morton  would  protect  them  at  all  hazards, 
even  though  she  could  not  see  him.  He  had  shown 
her  that  he  was  neither  a  man  to  be  trifled  with  nor 
one  to  give  in  at  the  first  difficulty.  Her  thoughts  of 
him  were  of  confidence;  she  remembered  the  appeal- 
ing words  he  had  spoken  to  her  that  morning.  He 
was  brave,  or  her  father  would  not  have  sent  him, 
and  he  must  be  good  or  her  father  would  not  have 
trusted  him. 

The  wagon  rumbled  less  now,  and  the  driver  could 
be  heard  speaking  to  his  horses.  The  wheels  crunched 
the  gravel  more  heavily  as  they  turned  more  slowly, 
and  the  next  moment  they  had  come  to  a  halt.  Soon 
voices  werq  heard,  and  a  shaft  of  light  streamed  into 
the  wagon  through  a  small  opening  in  the  canvas 
covering  at  the  rear.  Helene  saw  John  looking  out 
from  between  the  canvas  flaps.  He  was  crouching 
silently,  a  pistol  in  each  hand. 

A  loud  laugh  followed  by  a  command  and  some 
exclamations,  and  then  a  cheery:  "Bene,  avante." 
The  rain  was  now  falling  in  a  soft  patter  on  the  cart's 
covering,  so  that  the  clinking  sound  of  the  driver 
urging  the  horses  on  could  be  easily  heard.  A  creak- 
ing of  the  harness,  and  they  were  off  once  more  at  a 
slow  trot. 

"We  are  safe,"  came  in  a  loud  whisper  from  John. 
"A  few  minutes  more  and  we  can  have  a  light." 

For  the  first  time  since  they  had  left  the  castle  the 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       131 

Princess  now  spoke.  "Mr.  Morton,"  she  said  in  Eng- 
lish and  in  a  voice  betokening  the  strain  consequent 
on  her  condition,  "I  know  not  how  to  thank  you. 
I " 

"Please,  say  no  more/'  begged  Morton. 

Helene  could  not  speak.  The  tension  had  been  al- 
most more  than  she  could  bear.  She  found  relief,  how- 
ever, in  laughter,  an  hysterical  kind  of  laughter  it 
sounded  to  Morton's  ears.  But  he  was  glad  to  hear 
it;  it  told  him  that  he  need  have  no  further  anxiety 
about  the  girls'  courage;  they  would  measure  up  to 
what  was  still  before  them. 

The  wagon  came  to  a  halt  and  John  stepped  out, 
carefully  closing  the  canvas  flaps  benind  him.  He 
returned  soon,  however,  and  informed  the  girls  that 
there  was  nothing  the  matter;  he  would  leave  them 
alone  now  and  take  his  seat  alongside  the  driver,  and 
a  man  would  precede  the  cart  on  horseback.  In  a  few 
minutes  a  brass  lantern  was  swinging  from  the  fore 
peak  of  the  canvas  hood,  its  grateful  light  spreading  a 
pleasant  warmth  into  the  interior  of  the  vehicle. 

The  girls,  curious  as  to  their  situation,  looked  about 
them.  At  first  they  could  make  out  nothing  but  vague 
shadows,  but  as  their  eyes  became  accustomed  to  the 
flickering  light  they  saw  with  surprise  the  excellent 
arrangements  that  had  been  made  for  their  comfort. 
Two  strong,  but  soft  and  yielding  couches  ran  length- 
wise along  the  floor  of  the  wagon,  with  a  space  be- 
tween them.  In  the  corners  were  a  number  of  downy 
pillows,  while  from  the  canvas  covering  hung  two 
robes  of  fur. 

Helene  was  delighted.  "See,  Princess,"  she  ex- 
claimed, "see  "What  a  cozy  place  we  are  in."  The  Prin- 
cess lay  huddled,  sobbing  softly.  "Oh,  dear  lady,  do 
not  give  way.  Come,  rest  yourself  on  this  couch." 
She  lifted  the  girl  as  best  she  could,  laid  her  on  one 


132       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

of  the  boxes  and  covered  her  with  one  of  the  robes. 
"There  is  nothing1  to  be  afraid  of." 

"I  am  not  afraid,  dear  Helene,"  said  the  Princess, 
"but  the  suddenness  of  all  that  has  happened  has 
unnerved  me.  I'll  be  quite  well  again  soon." 

The  flash  of  a  lighted  match  flared  in  and  the  odor 
of  a  cigar  was  wafted  to  them  on  the  breeze.  How 
good  it  was  to  smell  the  fragrance.  It  meant  a  man, 
and  a  man  meant  protection.  The  next  moment  Mor- 
ton's cheery  voice  came  through:  "Make  yourselves 
comfortable,  ladies.  You'll  find  everything  you  want. 
Take  my  advice  and  get  a  sleep." 

Helene  thanked  him  and  said  they  would.  She  went 
back  to  where  the  Princess  lay  and  saw  with  satisfac- 
tion that  she  was  sleeping.  Without,  the  storm 
seemed  to  have  renewed  its  fury.  The  rain  beat  on 
the  canvas,  the  wheels  groaned  and  crunched,  the 
wagon  lurched  from  side  to  side  in  its  heavy  prog- 
ress, and  the  swish  of  water  poured  from  overhang- 
ing trees.  Helene  had  now  grown  accustomed  to 
these  sounds.  She  looked  at  her  watch  and  noted 
with  surprise  that  it  was  but  just  gone  eight.  They 
had  been  only  two  hours  on  their  journey — two  hours 
that  had  seemed  to  her  like  two  days!  She  felt  very 
tired ;  her  head  ached  and  her  limbs  were  cramped.  She 
would  take  Mr.  Morton's  advice  and  rest;  perhaps 
she  would  feel  better  after  a  sleep. 

"Are  you  asleep?"  It  was  Morton  whispering 
loudly  to  her  from  the  front  seat. 

"No,"  she  whispered  back,  "what  is  it?" 

"I  just  wanted  to  tell  you  that  you  must  not  be 
anxious  if  you  hear  noises  soon;  we  are  about  to  cut 
the  telegraph  wires.  In  another  hour  we  shall  make 
our  first  stop  for  a  change  of  horses." 

Helene  thanked  him  for  the  information  and  lay 
down.  She  tried  her  best  to  sleep  but  failed.  She 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       133 

heard  the  driver  halt  his  horses  and  distinguished 
Morton's  voice  giving  orders.  Then  she  heard  the 
clinking  of  steel  implements  and  the  sound  of  branches 
snapping.  They  must  be  cutting  the  wires,  she 
thought.  A  few  minutes  later  she  heard  Donald  call 
out:  "All's  finished,  Mr.  Morton/'  and  the  journey 
was  resumed. 

And  now  she  knew  that  they  were  ascending,  for 
she  felt  the  straining  of  the  horses  in  the  creaking 
harness,  and  counted  deliberately  the  squelching  of 
their  feet  in  the  muddy  track.  It  had  grown  quite  cold, 
and  the  fragrance  of  spruce  and  hemlock  came  to  her. 
She  lay  on  the  couch  looking  up  at  the  swaying  lan- 
tern, half  dozing,  half  waking. 

As  in  a  dream  she  heard  Morton  speaking  to  Papiu 
and  Donald :  "It  is  snowing.  We  certainly  are  in  luck. 
It'll  cover  up  all  our  tracks.  Say,  Don,  isn't  it  good 
to  feel  the  snow  again?  We  haven't  seen  any  in 
three  years,  have  we?"  And  Donald's  hearty  laugh 
came  back  in  response.  "It  ain't  much  of  a  snowfall," 
he  said,  "but  if  things  work  anyway  like  they  do  at 
home,  I  guess  we're  in  for  a  good  blizzard." 

She  cuddled  herself  closer  in  the  fur  robe  and  felt 
happy  in  its  comforting  warmth.  How  long  she  lay 
there  thus  she  did  not  know,  but  she  rose  up  suddenly 
and  looked  about  her  in  wide-eyed  surprise.  The 
wagon  had  come  to  a  halt,  and  she  heard  the  flaps  at 
the  rear  of  the  vehicle  being  drawn  aside.  The  Prin- 
cess, too,  had  "been  aroused,  and  she,  too,  was  staring 
with  frightened  eyes  about  her. 

"Here  we  are,  ladies,"  came  the  cheery  voice  of 
Morton.  He  was  standing  outside,  a  lantern  swing- 
ing from  his  arm.  "Our  first  stopping  place.  You 
may  come  out  now."  He  assisted  them  in  gallant 
style  out  of  the  wagon  and  led  them  to  a  wood-built 
shack.  "Welcome!"  he  cried,  laughing.  They  en- 


134       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

tered  and  found  themselves  in  a  low  roughly  built 
room  in  the  center  of  which  stood  a  table  made  of 
boards  and  by  its  side  a  crude  bench. 

Placing  his  lantern  on  the  table  he  bade  them  be 
seated.  He  would  bring  them  some  food.  Helene 
and  the  Princess  looked  about  the  place  and  shivered 
beneath  their  furs.  It  was  cheerless  and  bare  enough 
to  satisfy  the  most  fanatic  of  hermits.  The  yellow 
light  from  the  lantern  filled  the  distant  parts  of  it 
with  unearthly  shadows.  The  two  girls  instinctively 
moved  closer  to  each  other. 

John  returned  almost  immediately  carrying  a  prom- 
ising looking  basket  from  which  he  took  out  some 
snow-white  napkins,  a  goodly  supply  of  sandwiches, 
oranges,  cakes,  tin  cups,  a  flask  of  wine  and  a  carafe 
of  water. 

"There,  ladies,  is  a  feast  for  the  gods,  or,  I  should 
say,  for  the  goddesses.  Eat  heartily  because  you  will 
need  all  your  strength.  I  will  leave  you  now  to  your- 
selves. I  shall  be  back  in  half  an  hour.  Have  no 
anxiety." 

The  girls  were  hungry,  and  the  food  and  drink 
were  very  welcome.  Their  appetite  satisfied  they  felt 
both  strengthened  and  cheered.  Donald  came  in 
and  introduced  himself  by  addressing  the  peaked  roof. 
They  smiled  and  nodded  kindly  at  him.  He  busied 
himself  removing  quickly  the  remains  of  the  dinner 
and  disappeared. 

The  Princess  was  smiling  happily  now.  "Dear 
Helene,"  she  said,  "I  was  very  wrong.  I  ought  to 
have  known  that  you  knew  best.  Please  forgive  me !" 

Helene  pressed  her  friend's  hand  with  happy  tears 
in  her  eyes.  "The  Holy  Virgin,"  she  said,  "will  pro- 
tect us,  and  Mr.  Morton  is  a  gentleman." 

Punctual  to  the  minute  John  came  in  and  found 
them  ready  to.  continue  their  journey.  Helping  them 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       135 

into  their  place  of  refuge,  he  carefully  closed  the  rear 
flaps  and  resumed  his  seat  by  the  side  of  Papiu.  Once 
more  the  cart  took  up  its  rumbling  and  the  wheels 
their  crunching.  The  road  was  hilly,  and  the  four 
horses  strained  and  pulled,  urged  on  by  the  driver 
and  a  man  who  sat  astride  one  of  the  leaders.  The 
girls  lay  comfortably  covered  and  snugly  embedded  on 
their  couches,  but  the  steep  incline  caused  them  to  slip 
occasionally,  and  once  Helene  came  to  the  floor  of  the 
wagon  with  a  thud.  Morton  called  in  that  they  should 
put  up  the  boards  they  would  find  near  the  end  of  their 
couches  and  brace  their  feet  against  it.  Helene  car- 
ried out  his  instructions,  and  could  not  help  wondering 
at  Morton's  forethought.  He  had  thought  of  every- 
thing. He  might  be  in  the  business  of  rescuing  girls 
in  distress. 

Their  progress  now  was  much  slower  than  it  had 
been  so  far — the  climb  was  becoming  steeper  and 
steeper.  Soon  the  squeaking  of  the  wheels  ceased 
and  the  wagon  swayed  no  more — they  had  come  to  a 
smoother  road.  The  wind  had  almost  gone  down  en- 
tirely ;  but  the  sound  of  swaying  trees,  the  crisp  swish 
of  evergreen  branches  against  the  sides  of  the  cart, 
the  whisper  of  the  woods,  came  to  them  in  softened 
drones  and  murmurs  and  soothed  them  drowsily. 
Soon  both  were  Asleep. 

Morton,  in  front,  puffed  silently  at  his  cigar,  per- 
fectly happy  and  deeply  thankful  for  the  success  which 
so  far  had  followed  him  in  this  undertaking.  It  had 
been  a  day  of  no  little  anxiety;  for,  in  spite  of  the 
cheerfulness  he  assumed  before  the  girls,  he  had  had, 
it  must  be  confessed,  many  qualms.  The  Princess 
was  an  unknown  quantity  to  him,  and  he  did  not 
know  but  that  she  might  be  difficult  to  manage.  His 
hope  lay  in  the  Comtesse — in  Helene — he  dwelt  lov- 
ingly on  its  syllables  as  he  murmured  the  name  softly. 


136       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

She  was  a  great  girl,  he  kept  saying  to  himself — a 
great  girl.  What  lovely  eyes  she  had !  And  her 
smile — Ah!  her  smile — it  was  like  golden  sunshine 
after  rain.  He  puffed  at  his  cigar  and  found  it  had 
gone  out. 

Then  the  rider  on  the  leader  gave  a  loud  grunt, 
and  Donald's  voice  came  to  him,  calling  out,  "Whoa, 
boys,  Whoa!" 

Papiu  had  reigned  in  his  horses,  and  the1  cart  came 
to  a  full  stop  with  a  shock. 

Helene  awoke  with  a  start.  She  heard  the  horses 
shaking  their  bits  and  the  men  hurrying  about  as  they 
undid  their  harness.  Then  Morton  came  in  and  said : 
"Time  to  get  up,  ladies.  We  have  arrived  at  our  own 
house." 

She  rose  quickly  and  gently  woke  her  companion. 
The  Princess  rubbed  her  eyes  and  inquired  what  was 
the  matter.  Helene  told  her  what  Morton  had  said. 
In  a  minute  both  were  ready  and  Morton  assisted  them 
to  alight. 

They  were  before  a  low,  roughly  built  hutlike 
building,  under  snow-covered  trees,  the  drooping 
branches  of  which  swept  the  roof-planks,  which  were 
glittering  in  a  crystalline  snow-mantle.  A  couple  of 
lanterns  hung  from  the  eaves  over  the  entrance  to  the 
hut  and  lit  up  the  strange  scene.  Opposite  this  struc- 
ture stood  a  loftier  building.  The  lantern  on  a  bench 
showed  a  narrow  porch  with  a  low  door  leading  into 
a  lighted  room.  Boards  on  the  wet  snow  were 
placed  as  a  foot-walk,  and  over  these  the  two  girls 
were  led  by  Morton  into  the  house. 

"Welcome  home!"  he  said  gaily,  his  eyes  laughing. 


CHAPTER  XI 

HELENE  awoke  the  next  morning  wild-eyed 
and  distraught.  She  had  had  a  most  fright- 
ening dream.  She  had  dreamed  that  she  was 
bound  and  enveloped  in  a  coarse  rug,  carried  like  the 
captive  of  some  barbarian  soldiery.  Two  terrible 
looking  men  in  shaggy  furs  and  great  turbans  were 
taking  her  down  a  narrow  winding  step-way  hewn  in 
a  steep  rock.  She  saw  the  slimy  walls  dripping  with 
water  and  felt  the  heavy,  damp  air  weighing  on  her 
chest  so  that  she  could  scarcely  breathe.  She  tried 
to  scream  in  her  terror.  She  heard  the  roaring  of 
the  surf  beating  against  a  door  into  which  she  realized 
she  would  soon  be  carried  a  prisoner.  She  must  act 
at  once — cry  aloud  for  help.  Straining  at  the  thongs 
that  bound  her  cruelly  she  gave  a  groan.  It  was  then 
she  awoke. 

Her  throat  felt  dry  and  almost  parched.  Trembling 
in  every  limb,  she  passed  her  hands  over  her  face 
and  took  courage  to  look  about  her.  Her  eyes  caught 
a  purplish  color  against  yellow  boards;  irregular 
cracks  and  knot  holes  let  in  faint  streaks  of  light. 
Where  was  she?  She  pushed  aside  a  heavy  braid  of 
hair  that  had  fallen  across  her  face  and  tried  to  col- 
lect herself.  A  grating  noise  from  without  drew  her 
attention  to  the  wall,  where  she  saw  a  partly  opened 
broad  low  window  across  which  floated  a  purple  scarf. 
Gradually  she  remembered.  One  by  one  the  events 
of  the  past  hours  came  back  to  her.  She  recalled  the 
last  words  the  young  American  had  addressed  to  her. 
He  had  asked  her  to  leave  the  window  open,  and  she 
10  137 


I38       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

remembered  carrying  out  his  suggestion  to  put  some- 
thing over  the  opening  so  as  to  keep  out  the  morning's 
light.  He  had  left  her  a  lamp  and  a  clock.  Yes,  the 
lamp  was  still  there,  its  pale  yellow  flame  flickering 
feebly  now.  The  clock  also  was  by  the  bedside  ticking 
quickly.  It's  "tick-tock,  tick-tock,"  somehow  comfort- 
ed her ;  there  was  a  human  quality  in  the  almost  impu- 
dent carelessness  with  which  it  was  doing  its  business — 
so  regardless  of  her  own  feelings.  How  silly  of  her 
to  be  frightened  by  a  dream!  , 

By  her  side  lay  the  Princess,  her  face  and  hair  almost 
pansy-tinted  in  the  light  that  filtered  through  the  im- 
provised purple-colored  scarf-curtain.  She  was  breath- 
ing regularly  in  a  sleep  that  would  be  strengthening 
in  its  refresing  rest.  And  then  came  thoughts  of  the 
dangers  yet  to  be  endured  and  overcome.  Would  they 
once  again  be  free  and  happy?  Would  it  be  granted 
to  them  to  see  their  loved  one  again?  The  questions 
brought  a  longing  hope  shot  through  with  pain.  But 
come  what  may  she  would  play  her  part  as  her  father 
would  have  wished  her  to  play  it. 

Stepping  out  of  bed  so  as  not  to  arouse  her  com- 
panion, she  dressed  herself  in  the  rough  peasant's 
costume  she  had  worn  the  day  before,  and  crept  on 
tip-toe  to  the  window. 

Pushing  aside  the  scarf,  she  leaned  out  to  inhale  the 
cool,  balmy  air.  But  the  sight  that  met  her  eyes  made 
her  start  back.  Surely  this  was  fairyland!  Through 
majestic  tree  trunks  and  spreading  boughs  of  noble 
firs,  shafts  of  sunlight  shot  down  on  an  earth  white 
with  snow.  In  the  golden  light  the  crystals  shone  and 
glittered  again.  The  light  wind  blew  the  flakes  and 
showered  them  abroad  so  that  they  seemed  like  float- 
ing diamonds  as  they  dropped  noiselessly  to  the  ground. 
High  up  through  the  branches  she  caught  a  vista  of  a 
deep-blue  sky,  crossed  and  recrossed  by  the  gleaming 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       139 

white  bars  of  branches  and  making  a  pattern  of  lace 
work  as  intricate  as  it  was  wonderful.  She  felt  as  if 
she  had  been  transported  by  some  genii  into  a  palace 
of  snow  and  stalactites.  And  through  it  all — through 
this  indescribable  maze  of  virgin  whiteness — floated 
and  vibrated  a  bluish  haze,  an  azure  atmosphere  that 
seemed  as  if  it  could  be  felt — pulsating  light  and  liv- 
ing shadows  playing  a  bewildering  dance.  Helene 
could  scarcely  breathe,  so  entranced  was  she.  She 
leaned  over  the  window-sill  and  watched  the  downy 
snow  as  it  fell,  released  from  its  hold  on  the  branches 
under  the  redeeming  influence  of  sunlight.  The  blood 
coursed  rapidly  through  her  veins;  her  heart  quick- 
ened and  a  new  courage  and  hope  came  to  her.  She 
forgot  her  anxiety,  she  forgot  the  dangers,  she  thought 
of  nothing  but  fairies  and  flowers  and  the  sweet 
visions  of  her  childhood.  She  was  all  compounded  of 
wonder  and  worship,  and  happy,  happy,  happy ! 

A  clear  shrill  whistle,  the  intimate  call  of  a  bird, 
drew  her  attention  to  the  mysterious  depths  of  the 
lower  foliage.  A  little  crossbill  was  hopping  and  flit- 
ting back  and  forth ;  and  then  she  remembered  that  it 
was  still  autumn  irr  the  valleys  below.  And  with  this 
remembrance  she  was  brought  back  to  the  reality  of 
her  present  situation — of  her  escape  from  the  palace 
with  the  Princess;  of  Mr.  Morton — how  brave  and 
gentle  he  was!  Of  the  terrible  journey  through  the 
storm — how  kind  and  considerate  he  had  been! — of 
their  arrival  at  this  place — how  encouraging  and  cour- 
teous he  had  proved  himself!  Who  and  what  was 
this  man?  The  little  bird  flew  off  with  a  whirr,  and 
a  knock  sounded  on  the  door.  Helene  jumped  back 
quickly. 

"Good  morning,  ladies!"  came  Morton's  voice 
through  the  closed  door,  "it  is  a  lovely  morning  and 
breakfast  will  be  ready  as  soon  as  you  are." 


I4o       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Ah,  what  a  friendly  sound  his  words  carried  with 
them !  She  stepped  quickly  to  the  door  and  called  out 
heartily : 

"Good  morning,  Mr.  Morton.  I  am  already  dressed, 
and  the  Princess  soon  will  be.  Isn't  it  glorious  out- 
side?" 

"Glorious,  in'deed.  Don't  hurry.  Call  out  the  mo- 
ment you  are  ready.  We  are  just  in  the  next  room." 

"Thank  you ;  we  shall  be  with  you  in  ten  minutes." 

She  listened  to  his  firm  steps  and  heard  the  outer 
door  being  closed.  For  a  moment  she  stood  smiling  at 
the  wooden  partition. 

"Helene,  Helene,  where  are  we?" 

She  turned  quickly  and  found  the  Princess  sitting 
up  in  bed,  her  hair  in  disorder  and  her  great  dark 
eyes  staring  frightened  at  her. 

"Oh,  my  darling,"  she  cried,  running  up  to  her, 
"get  up  and  dress  at  once.  It's  so  lovely  and  beautiful 
outside.  I  have  just  been  speaking  with  Mr.  Morton, 
who  came  to  tell  us  that  breakfast  would  soon  be  ready. 
I  am  so  hungry  that  I  could  eat  all  Roumelia*." 

"I  didn't  know  where  I  was  when  I  woke  up,"  sighed 
the  Princess,  "and  when  I  found  you  were  not  by  my 
side  I  got  frightened." 

"There  is  nothing  to  be  afraid  of  now.  Mr.  Morton 
says  we  are  quite  safe.  Come,  let  me  be  your  maid 
this  morning, — we  must  put  on  pleasant  faces  if  only 
to  show  Mr.  Morton  that  we  have  confidence  in  him." 

"You  are  right,  dear  Helene.  I  am  afraid  I've  been 
a  bit  of  a  kill-joy.  But,  oh,  you  don't  know  what  I've 
suffered." 

"I  do  know,  dear  Princess,  and  I  feel  for  you  in 
all  my  soul.  But  the  danger  is  passed  now,  and  you 
will  soon  be  with  your  friends." 

Thus  comforting  and  cheering  her  companion  Hel- 
ene helped  her  to  dress.  In  a  little  more  than  the 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       141 

ten  minutes  they  were  both  ready,  and  with  fresh, 
smiling  faces  walked  timidly  into  th'e  adjoining 
apartment. 

They  found  no  one  there;  but  a  table  all  laid  out 
with  tablecloth,  plates  and  eating  utensils  was  in 
the  center  of  the  room,  giving  it  a  homelike  and  in- 
viting air.  Helene  walked  to  the  door,  and  in  her 
clear,  ringing  voice  called  out : 

"We  are  ready,  Mr.  Morton!'* 

Instantly,  almost,  it  seemed  to  her,  John  appeared, 
and  greeting  both  girls,  he  led  them  to  their  places 
at  the  table.  Papiu  entered  with  a  bountifully  loaded 
tray,  and  the  meal  was  begun  under  his  grinning  wait- 
ing. He  beamed  on  them  all  as  if  there  were  no 
higher  duty  than  service.  John  took  the  occasion  to 
tell  the  girls  of  their  present  situation. 

"We  are  quite  safe  here,"  he  assured  them.  "The 
men  and  I  were  out  at  daybreak  exploring  the  country, 
and  I  was  glad  to  find  that  the  tracks  of  the  wheels 
have  been  quite  covered  up.  We  took  the  precaution, 
however,  to  cut  the  telegraph  wires  on  the  other  side 
of  the  valley,  so  th5t  no  communication  can  be  sent 
to  the  border  on  the  northwest,  for  which  we  are 
bound.  I  am  sure  we  have  nothing  further  to  fear. 
All  that  it  needs  now  is  to  be  patient.  There  may 
be  a  few  difficulties;  but  these  can  easily  be  over- 
come." 

The  Princess  smiled  at  Morton  graciously.  "You 
have  placed  us,  Mr.  Morton,"  she  said,  "under  a  debt 
of  gratitude  which  we  can  never  repay.  I  must  ask 
you  to  forgive  me  for  my  seeming  lack  of  faith  in 
you;  but  you  will,  I  am  sure,  appreciate  the  circum- 
stances of  my  position." 

"Please,  Your  Highness,  say  no  more.  I  quite  un- 
derstand. In  my  eagerness  to  help  you,  I  forgot  that 
I  was  a  total  stranger  to  you.  Count  Rondell  made 


142       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

it  so  imperative — I  was  not  to  leave  you  to  the  mercy 
of  the  new  government,  at  any  cost.  That  was  why 
I  begged  your  friend,  the  Comtesse  Helene,  to  see  you 
again  and  do  her  utmost  to  persuade  you  and  to  in- 
form you  of  the  political  conditions  about  which  you 
might,  perhaps,  be  in  ignorance." 

"You  were  very  kind  and  thoughtful,  Mr.  Morton. 
I  assure  you  I  can  never  forget  what  you  have  done." 

Helene  looked  delighted  at  the  happy  outcome  of 
this  the  first  real  meeting  between  her  beloved  Prin- 
cess and  Mr.  Morton.  Her  face  was  all  roses  and 
her  eyes  beamed  the  emotions  she  was  feeling. 

"And  now  everything  will  be  all  right,  won't  it?'* 
she  asked  jocularly.  They  all  laughed,  as  they  rose 
from  the  table. 

John  explained  that  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
leave  them  now  for  an  investigation  as  to  the  next  stage 
of  their  journey,  but  he  would  see  that  Donald  and 
Papiu  remained  behind  to  keep  guard.  He  would  go 
with  Mihai.  If  they  liked  they  could  sit  on  the  porch 
running  along  the  south  side  of  the  cabin,  but  in  that 
case  they  must  be  careful  to  wear  their  fur  coats.  He 
then  shouldered  his  rifle  and  was  soon  seen  to  disap- 
pear in  the  close  timber. 

Helene  and  the  Princess,  only  too  eager  to  enjoy 
the  freedom  of  the  open  air,  put  on  their  coats  and 
sat  sunning  themselves  under  the  sheltering  wing  of 
the  house,  drinking  in  the  pine-laden  air  and  filling 
their  souls  with  the  silent,  imposing  beauty  of  the 
forest-clad  mountains.  [What  a  change  from  the 
rooms  in  the  castle!  Surely  nature  was  kinder  than 
man!  She  gave  so  freely  of  her  bounteous  treasures 
and  asked  nothing  in  return — nothing  but  the  heart 
to  feel  and  the  spirit  to  enjoy  her  gifts.  Helene 
looked  at  her  companion  and  saw  that  her  face  had 
become  clouded  again.  With  a  quick  movement  she 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       143 

drew  close  to  her  and  put  her  arms  about  her,  and 
thus  they  sat  for  many  minutes  in  silent  sympathy 
with  each  other.  Nature  is  kind,  but  she  is  sadness- 
breeding  even  in  her  most  generous  moods,  and  it  is 
then  that  the  heart  sends  out  its  tendrils  feeling  for 
another  heart.  Perhaps  that  is  why  people  are  hap- 
pier and  simpler  in  the  country  than  they  are  in  the 
city. 

Their  meditations  were  disturbed  by  the  sound  of 
footfalls  on  the  mushy  snow.  It  was  Donald  emerg- 
ing from  the  wood,  rifle  under  his  arm. 

The  girls  greeted  him  smilingly. 

"Fine  morning,  ladies,  but  kind  o'  mean  under- 
foot," and  he  smiled  a  little  sheepishly  as  he  stood 
before  them.  They  relieved  him  of  his  shyness  by 
encouraging*  nods. 

"Is  there  anything  I  can  do  for  you?  Mr.  Morton 
told  me  to  look  after  you." 

"Nothing,  thank  you,"  replied  Helene;  "we  are 
quite  comfortable  and  enjoying  the  splendid  air." 

Both,  however,  were  hoping  he  would  not  go  away. 
They  longed  for  some  companionship  rather  than 
their  own — some  other  human  being  who  would 
speak  to  them  and  tell  them  things — anything.  Hel- 
ene caught  the  Princess's  eyes  and  saw  the  same  de- 
sire in  them. 

"Please,  Mr.  McCormick,  won't  you  sit  down?" 
she  asked  in  her  soft,  seductive  voice.  "Sit  down  and 
talk  to  us." 

"Thank  you,  miss,  I  don't  mind  if  I  do." 

Donald's  social  instincts,  like  those  of  all  true  Amer- 
icans, were  very  strong  in  him.  Moreover,  he  had  not 
had  many  opportunities  of  exercising  his  English- 
speaking  tongue  since  he  had  left  Brindisi.  His  in- 
tercourse with  Papiu  and  Mihai  had  been  in  the  deaf 
and  dumb  language,  mostly.  Laying  aside  his  rifle, 


144      UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

he  brought  out  a  roughly  made  stool,  and  sitting  down, 
cap  in  hand,  faced  the  girls. 

"Ah,  it  does  a  fellow  like  me  good  to  see  your  sweet 
faces,  ladies.  And  how  did  you  like  my  breakfast  ?" 

Of  course  it  was  delicious.   So  was  he,  they  thought. 

"Well,  now,  miss,  that's  awful  kind  of  you.  But  I 
would  have  done  better  if  I'd  had  some  time  and 
things,  and  less  strictness." 

"Strictness?    What  does  that  mean?" 

"Why,  miss,  I  wasn't  allowed  to  build  a  fire  until 
the  sun  was  way  up.  Mr.  Morton  didn't  want  no 
smoke  about." 

"Your  friend  is  a  very  cautious  man." 

"My  friend?  Oh,  I  see,  you  mean  Mr.  Morton. 
Well,  he's  a  friend  all  right,  and  a  very  good  one; 
but  he's  really  my  boss,  you  know — my  master,  I 
guess  you'd  call  it." 

"Oh!     I  thought  you  were  comrades." 

"Well,  bless  your  pretty  eyes,  miss,  we've  been  pals 
and  comrades  many  a  year  and  in  many  a  land;  but 
as  I  get  paid  for  my  part  of  it,  I  guess  it's  a  job  with 
me.  With  Mr.  Morton,  it's  sport  and  study.  A 
mighty  good  sport  he  is,  and  a  fine  student,  too." 

Don  was  warming  up. 

"You  interest  us  greatly — please  go  on." 

Donald's  leathery  face  creased  itself  into  numerous 
wrinkles  as  he  smiled. 

"There  ain't  much  to  tell,  I  guess.  I've  known  Mr. 
John  ever  since  he  was  a  boy  of  ten  or  twelve,  and 
a  finer  youngster  never  lived.  His  father,  old  Dan 
Morton,  used  to  come  every  summer  to  the  Upper 
Lakes  for  the  fishin',  and  when  the  boy  got  old  enough 
to  travel  he  took  him  along.  In  those  days,  I  used  to 
work  as  a  guide  in  summer  and  fall  and  did  loggin' 
in  winter  and  spring.  After  the  great  catch  of  1874, 
the  old  gentleman  had  me  for  guide  regularly;  and 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       145 

when  young  John  started  to  come  up  alone,  I  always 
rowed  and  cooked  for  him." 

Don  paused  for  a  moment;  mechanically,  his 
hand  slipped  into  a  side  pocket  of  his  coat  to  reappear 
with  a  pipe  in  it.  He  glanced  at  it,  then  recollecting 
himself,  he  quickly  put  it  back.  The  Princess  smiled : 
"Please,  Mr.  McCormick,  don't  deprive  yourself. 
Light  your  pipe." 

Don  looked  queerly  dubious  and  hesitated.  "You 
are  very  kind,  but  I'm  afraid  my  tobacco  ain't  a 
cigar."  The  girls  laughed  and  assured  him  they 
would  enjoy  the  aroma.  Don  nodded  and  lit  up;  but 
as  he  puffed  he  was  careful  to  blow  the  smoke  so  that 
the  wind  would  carry  it  away  from  where  the  girls 
were  sitting.  These  girls  were  all  right,  he  said  to 
himself — nice  and  pretty  and  considerate.  He  began 
to  feel  quite  at  home  with  them.  Puffing  serenely  he 
took  up  his  narrative-  with  added  zest. 

"Mr.  John  wasn't  very  strong  as  a  youngster;  he 
had  some  fever  when  a  baby  that  left  him  kind  o' 
delicate.  But  he  was  fearless,  quick  and  mighty 
steady.  After  a  couple  o'  years  he  started  to  pick  up 
— and  now — there  ain't  a  logger  in  Minnesoty  that 
can  beat  him  in  rowing  or  wrastling  or  at  huntin'.  I 
took  to  him  from  the  start,  and  I  love  him  as  I  would 
if  he  were  my  own  son.  The  Lord  don't  make  'em 
any  better  than  John  Morton — let  me  tell  ye !" 

"It  is  fine  of  you  to  say  so,  Mr.  McCormick,"  said 
Helene;  "and  I've  no  doubt  Mr.  Morton  thinks  very 
highly  of  you,  too." 

"I  guess  he  does.  He  took  me  to  the  city,  gave 
me  all  kinds  of  chances ;  but  somehow  or  other  I  never 
could  cotton  to  straight  town  life.  Always  wanted  to 
go  back  to  the  woods  and  the  water — I  am  satisfied 
to  end  my  days  there." 

A  pause  for  a  few  more  puffs. 


146       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

"Well,  about  two  years  ago,  Mr.  Morton  comes  up 
to  his  camp  pretty  late  in  the  season  and  wants  me 
to  go  huntin'  and  fishin*  with  him.  It  was  kind  o' 
late  for  fish,  and  Mr.  John  is  a  queer  hunter,  he  is. 
He  would  just  watch  the  game,  follow  them  up,  may- 
be— but  shoot?  You  can't  get  him  to  kill  anything. 
He  has  all  the  trophies  he  wanted,  he  said — and  as 
long  as  we  had  grub  there  wasn't  no  need  of  killing 
God's  creatures. 

"He  was  quieter  than  usual,  and  he  says  to  me  that 
he  wants  me  to  go  with  him  to  Africa— doing  some 
exploration  work,  some  observing — and  says  he, 
'Don,'  he  says,  'you  come  with  me  and  we'll  have  a 
good  time;  you'll  learn  some  new  things,  see  new 
kinds  o*  game,  and  get  fine  experience ;  and  I  can  do 
something  I  wanted  to  try  for  years/  It  was  kind  o' 
sudden  like,  but  I  agreed.  And  so,  the  week  after 
Christmas  we  went  to  London  and  Paris  and  from 
there  to  Egypt — and  there  we  stuck  out  for  nigh  on 
twenty  months.  I  ain't  seen  snow  in  two  years — 
'most  forgot  how  real  cold  feels — and  I'm  mighty 
glad  to  get  a  taste  of  both  once  more!  And  to 
think  that  some  ten  days  or  so  ago  I  was  in  the  hot- 
test part  of  the  world — now,  would  you  believe 
it?" 

"WHere  was  that,  Mr.  McCormick?" 

"Why,  bless  your  pretty  face,  Miss,  in  Egypt  and 
the  Red  Sea.  Hot? — two  minutes  of  that  climate, 
and  there  wouldn't  be  a  trace  o'  this  snow  left !" 

Helene  could  barely  suppress  showing  her  keen  in- 
terest. Now,  perhaps,  would  come  what  she  had  been 
longing  to  know.  "And  was  it  in  Egypt  that  you 
met  my  father?  Did  Mr.  Moiton  know  my  father 
very  long?" 

"I  don't  know  anything  about  that,  Miss;  Mr.  John 
didn't  tell  me  much." 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       147 

"Then  you  and  Mr.  Morton — you  are  not  officers 
or  soldiers  in  our — the  Roumelian  Army  ?" 

"Why,  bless  your  hearts,  miss,  so  far  as  I  am  con- 
cerned, I  didn't  know  such  a  place  as  Roumelia  was 
on  the  map  ten  days  ago ;  and  it's  very  little  more  that 
I  know  now !  Mr.  John,  he  came  to  me  the  night  we 
got  to  Suez,  saying  I  should  get  ready  to  take  the  mid- 
night train,  go  to  Brindisi  and  act  under  written 
orders — and  I  went.  From  there  I  took  a  train  to 
Kronstadt;  and  four  days  ago  I  drove  the  teams 
down  to  Padina  with  the  dagoes — that's  all  I  know. 
When  Mr.  Morton  gives  you  orders  you  ain't  askin' 
no  useless  questions,  I  guess.  He  knows  what  he 
wants — and  you  are  supposed  to  go  ahead  and  do 
what  you're  told.  But  you  needn't  worry,  young 
ladies,  there  ain't  no  better  man  living  than  Mr.  John 
— and  few  have  as  level  a  head  as  he's  got !" 

"You  are  a  great  admirer  of  your  master,  Mr. 
McCormick,"  remarked  the  Princess,  who  till  now 
had  sat  very  quietly,  quite  willing  to  leave  the  con- 
versation to  her  friend.  It  took  her  some  time  to 
become  accustomed  to  the  peculiar  drawl  of  the  lanky 
foreigner ;  but  when  once  she  caught  the  quaint  humor 
of  the  man  she  enjoyed  him  greatly.  She  wondered 
also  at  the  simple  directness  of  his  manner,  which  was 
deferential  without  being  in  the  least  subservient. 
This  must  be  due  to  the  democratic  spirit  of  his 
country. 

"I  don't  know  if  it's  admiration,  young  lady,  but  I 
have  learned  that  Mr.  Morton  knows  what's  right. 
There  isn't  a  man  anywheres  that  can  teach  him 
much!  You  can  build  on  him  and  never  get  left.  If 
he  says  a  thing — it's  so ;  and  if  he  stands  up  for  you 
you're  all  right.  And  then,  he  ain't  putting  the  load  on 
the  other  fellow,  either!  When  it  comes  to  hard 
knocks,  he  takes  his  share — and  takes  it  without  a 


I48       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

murmur.  He  is  square,  is  Mr.  John — and  white  all 
through !  You  can  bet  on  that !" 

"White  all  through?  What  does  that  mean, 
please  ?" 

"It  means,  miss,  that  he  is  good  and  true  and  fair 
all  over.  Not  a  yellow  streak  in  him!  Why,  out  in 
the  desert — the  niggers  and  them  Arabs — they  found 
it  out  quick  enough — and  Mr.  Morton,  he  had  the 
run  of  the  country  and  their  good-will  pretty  soon 
after  we  got  settled  there  and  they  had  a  chance  to 
see  what  kind  of  a  man  he  was !  After  we  had  a  lit- 
tle ruction  with  them  once — why,  after  that,  they 
would  eat  out  of  our  hands !" 

"Eat  out  of  your  hands  ?" — The  Princess's  eyes  were 
big  with  inquiry. 

Helene  gave  a  little  laugh — equally  at  loss.  "Now, 
Mr.  McCormick,  please  tell  us  what  that  means." 

"Oh — I  guess  my  talk  ain't  just  the  easiest  for  you 
to  get  on  to.  I  always  forget  that  not  all  people  come 
from  America.  Why,  after  these  natives  found 
out  we  were  square,  that  Mr.  John  wasn't  afraid  of 
them  or  anyone  else,  for  that  matter,  that  he  wouldn't 
stand  for  any  crooked  deal — why,  they  were  just 
good — that's  all!  I  remember  it  as  if  it  was  yester- 
day; out  there  in  the  Soudan — a  God-forsaken  coun- 
try that  I  can't  see  why  people  will  insist  on  living  in 
— when  Mr.  Morton  got  to  investigate  our  store  tent 
one  mornin' — he  found  a  tripod  and  some  instruments 
missin'.  We  looked  'round,  found  tracks  in  the  dust 
and  sand  proving  that  some  barefooted  rascals  had 
stole  in  over  night.  Mr.  Morton,  he  just  throws  his 
rifle  over  his  shoulder,  says,  'Come  along,  Don,  we 
must  see  about  this.'  Well,  we  got  our  Arab  driver 
to  bring  the  horses  and  rode  over  across  the  valley 
to  a  camp  of  Wadi-Arabs  we  know'd  were  stoppin' 
there.  Mr.  John  rides  up  and  asks  for  the  Chief. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       149 

And  when  this  feller — a  fine-looking  old  chap  with 
whiskers  like  Moses — comes  up — 'Can  I  talk  to  all 
o'  your  people  for  about  five  minutes?'  says  he.  The 
Chief  just  stares,  asks  Achmed — that's  our  servant — 
a  thing  or  two — and  then  gives  a  call  like  a  foghorn. 
Out  come  a  crowd  o'  men,  big  and  small,  old  and 
young,  and  they  all  lined  up  behind  him  without  sayin' 
a  word. 

"And  then  John  Morton  asks  them  to  step  up  to  the 
hollow  into  the  shade  of  the  rock — it  was  gittin' 
mighty  hot  by  that  time — he  just  stands  up  on  a 
boulder,  leans  on  his  rifle  not  caring  any  more  than 
if  he  were  in  Euclid  Park — in  Cleveland,  you  know — 
and  he  says  to  the  Chief:  'I'll  say  what  I  got  to  say 
in  English,  and  I  want  you  to  translate  it  to  your  peo- 
ple.' And  the  old  man  nods  and  grunts  somethin',  an' 
my  boss — he  goes  on.  And  he  tells  'em  all  right!  'I 
have  come  here  a  stranger/  says  he,  'to  be  a  neighbor 
to  you ;  I  am  peaceful.  I  don't  bother  about  you  and 
I  mind  my  own  business.  Now  I  want  you  to  do  to 
me  as  I  am  doin'  to  you  1  Somebody,  last  night,  took 
my  tools  and  instruments,  and  I  need  them  in  my  work 
• — and  I  want  'em  backl  If  any  of  you  men  is  in  need 
— you  can  come  to  me  and  if  I  can  help  ye — I  will !  If 
you  need  food — I'll  share  mine  with  you.  If  you  are 
in  trouble  and  I  know  a  way  out — you  can  have  my 
assistance.  But  I  won't  allow  any  man  to  steal  my 
things,  and  I  am  a  feller  you  want  to  leave  alone.  I 
never  wronged  anybody — but  neither  will  I  permit  any 
man  living  to  do  a  wrong  to  me.' — Then  he  motions 
to  the  Chief  and  the  old  man  he  translates  it  to  his 
people." 

Don  stopped  out  of  sheer  breathlessness ;  his  enthu- 
siasm had  carried  him  at  a  rapid  pace,  while  the  girls, 
fascinated,  bent  over,  devouring  every  word.  He 
paused  long  enough  to  relight  his  pipe  and  send  out 


150       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

a  few  mouthfuls  of  his  beloved  golden-leaf  smoke. 
Its  pungent  odor  came  to  the  girls'  nostrils  and  added 
to  the  reality  of  the  mental  pictures  they  had  built  out 
of  his  narrative. 

"You  ought  to  have  seen  him — standin'  there  among 
those  savage  people,  alone  against  a  hundred — but  as 
steady  as  a  rock  and  as  cool  as  a  cucumber!  Not  an 
eyelash  did  he  move !  I  wasn't  sure  what  would  come 
next — but  I  guess  Mr.  Morton,  he  knew.  He  looked 
fine !  I  wish  his  father  could  ha'  seen  him !  The  old 
man  always  was  proud  of  his  boy — as  he  had  a  right 
to  be.  He  used  to  say  to  me:  'Don,  I  want  my  boy 
to  be  a  man  first  and  a  gentleman  after !'  And  I  guess 
Mr.  John  is  both,  and  both  to  the  limit." 

He  paused  and  gave  a  reminiscent  stare  into  the 
infinite  space  above  him.  A!  few  thoughtful  pulls  at 
the  pipe  followed  by  a  copious  discharge  of  saliva  and 
he  proceeded  with  his  tale: 

"Well — after  the  Chief  Had  finished,  two  young 
fellers  just  drawed  their  burnooses  a  bit  tighter  over 
their  faces  and  sneaked  off.  A  minute  later  they 
brought  the  instruments,  laid  them  down  before  Mr. 
John,  and,  walking  with  their  heads  bent  in  shame, 
they  passed  before  the  Chief.  The  old  priest  he  just 
looked  dark  and  grieved  and  waved  them  off  without 
a  word.  Then  he  up  and  walks  to  John,  hands  him 
bread  and  salt  and  says:  'Noble  stranger,  my  people 
and  me  are  humbled  by  your  just  complaint.  Here- 
after you  needn't  lose  sleep  over  my  men;  none  of 
'em  will  ever  wrong  you  again,  none  of  my  people  will 
do  anything  toward  you  that  he  don't  want  you  to  do 
toward  us.  If  we  can  do  anything  to  please  you — say 
the  word — we  are  your  slaves.  And  Mr.  John — he 
took  the  bread  and  salt.  Then  we  mounted  the  horses 
and  rode  home.  Our  servant,  he  carried  the  instru- 
ments and  after  that — none  of  them  fellers  came  with- 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       151 

in  a  big  spell  of  our  camp!  Those  Arabs  know  a  man 
when  they  see  him  pretty  damn  quick,  I  guess !" 

He  shifted  uneasily  in  his  seat  and  shut  his  mouth 
tight.  In  his  excitement  he  had  forgotten  he  was 
speaking  to  ladies.  "I  guess  I'm  talking  too  much. 
I  must  apologize.  But  you've  been  so  interested  that 
I  couldn't  help  myself." 

The  girls  assured  him  that  they  had  enjoyed  his 
story  extremely  and  begged  him  to  tell  them  some 
more  of  his  interesting  adventures.  But  Don  was  too 
cautious  now  to  be  caught  a  second  time. 

Morton  now  appeared,  followed  by  Mihai.  He 
looked  up  at  the  porch  and  took  the  situation  in  at 
a  glance.  Don  approached  his  master  looking  as  if  he 
had  been  caught,  like  a  child  in  a  naughty  act.  A  few 
whispered  words  passed  between  them,  and  Don 
walked  off  without  even  giving  the  girls  a  glance. 

"I  suppose  Donald  has  been  chattering,"  remarked 
Morton  as  he  stepped  on  to  the  porch,  "he's  a  great 
yarn-spinner  and  doesn't  know  when  to  stop.  I  hope 
he  has  not  bored  you." 

"Oh,  no — not  at  all !  He  was  telling  us  some  of  the 

incidents  of  your  life  in  the  desert "  Helene  was 

attempting  to  shield  the  fellow. 

"A-h — then  I  guess  he's  been  sounding  my  praises. 
But  you  must  not  believe  everything  he  says.  He's  a 
true  Yankee,  and  knows  how  to  drag  the  long  bow. 
Have  you  rested?" 

Both  the  girls  assured  him  that  they  had  and  that 
Mr.  McCormick  had  entertained  them  immensely. 
Morton  smiled,  and  excusing  himself,  left  them  to 
themselves.  The  Princess,  however,  was  tired;  the 
bracing  air  had  made  her  drowsy.  She  begged  Helene 
to  remain  while  she  lay  down  in  her  room. 

Morton  was  really  disturbed  about  Don's  chatter; 
he  was  afraid  he  might  have  spoken  of  Count  Ron- 


152       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

dell's  illness.     He  would  find  out,  and  warn  the  man 
to  say  nothing  about  that  matter  to  the  Comtesse. 

Helena  sat  for  a  long  time  thinking  over  what  she 
had  learned  from  Don's  narrative.  Instead  of  clear- 
ing up  the  situation  it  had  only  aroused  in  her  more 
questionings.  She  could  not  explain  Mr.  Morton's  pres- 
ence in  Roumelia.  Why  had  he  undertaken  this  mis- 
sion? It  was  true  that  her  father  had  written  beg- 
ging her  to  place  implicit  confidence  in  him — but  why 
this  man,  this  American  of  all  men?  Even  if  it  were 
dangerous  for  him  to  come  himself,  could  he  not  have 
sent  one  of  his  own  friends?  It  was  more  than  she 
could  understand.  And  yet — and  yet — she  was  glad 
it  had  been  this  man.  He  was  so  different  from  the 
men  she  had  met.  He  came  from  a  country  where 
there  were  neither  kings  nor  nobles  and  yet,  he  knew 
how  to  command  and  be  obeyed.  His  father  wanted 
him  to  be  a  man  first — yes,  he  was  that — the  equal 
to  the  best  she  had  known.  She  felt  herself  blushing 
at  her  thoughts.  No,  no,  no,  she  must  not  let  herself 
think  like  this.  Rising  suddenly  she  crossed  the  open 
space  before  the  cabin,  and  with  quickened  steps  passed 
under  the  firs,  to  where  a  rushing  stream  was  frothing 
its  way  down  a  deep  gorge. 


HER  back  against  the  protecting  trunk  of  an 
ancient  hemlock,  whose  exposed  gnarled  roots 
gave  a  good  foothold  and  a  secure  seat,  Helene 
sat  curled  up  with  her  feet  tucked  under  her  warm  skirt 
She  was  watching  intently  the  turbulent  waters  hurry- 
ing in  the  direction  that  meant  freedom  and  safety 
to  her,  the  Princess — and  to  their  escort  also.  The 
child  in  her  felt  the  longing  for  refuge,  the  desire  to 
flee  from  the  land  that  had  denied  her,  but  that  was 
yet  her  own  land.  The  woman  in  her,  the  existence 
of  which  the  girl  did  not  suspect,  mingled  with  these 
fears  and  desires  the  mysterious  feeling  of  having 
found  a  man  who  would,  with  strong  arm,  come  be- 
tween her  and  danger. 

Helene  had  never  been  in  so  wild  a  country.  She 
had  never  been  alone  in  the  woods,  and  the  peaceful- 
ness  of  her  surroundings,  the  grandeur  of  it  all,  im- 
pressed her  deeply.  Her  situation  seemed  so  unreal, 
as  though  it  were  almost  impossible  to  believe  in  its 
fact.  Was  she  little  Snow-White  with  the  Seven 
Dwarfs  across  the  Seven  Hills?  Was  she  like  Saint 
Elizabeth  driven  into  the  wild  forests  by  her  jealous 
spouse?  It  seemed  as  if  some  gnomes  or  fairies  were 
peeking  out  from  under  the  tumbled  chaos  of  roots  and 
boulders;  as  if  every  little  heap  of  dried  pine  needles 
were  the  seat  of  some  good  little  goblin.  No,  it  really 
was  true;  here  she  was  sitting  watching  the  cataracts 
of  an  unknown  mountain  stream  tumbling  and  gam- 
boling down  hill,  dressed  in  peasant's  garments,  with 
hobnailed  shoes  on  her  feet,  provided  by  a  strange 


154       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

man  speaking  a  foreign  tongue,  from  some  most  un- 
known part  of  a  distant  world,  and  yet,  strange  to  say, 
she  was  quite  happy !  Would  anyone  ever  believe  her 
if  she  told  the  tale?  Stowed  in  a  wagon  equipped 
like  a  gipsy's  caravan,  in  the  dark  storm  and  driving 
rain,  dreading  discovery  every  instant!  And  the  ar- 
rival at  the  hidden  house  under  the  whispering  trees, 
still  under  the  calm  protection  of  a  strange  man  who 
provided  everything  and  seemed  to  rule  even  the  ele- 
ments. It  was  all  so  wonderful !  And  how  good  and 
brave  he  was! 

"Miss  Helene,  may  I  sit  and  talk  to  you?"  Her  face 
turned  scarlet  as  if  he  had  heard  her  thoughts.  She 
stammered  and  attempted  to  rise.  "Pray,  don't  dis- 
turb yourself,  Miss  Helene.  You  have  selected  a 
charming  spot,  and  if  you  will  permit  me,  I'll  join  you 
in  your  retreat.  But  first  take  this  robe;  the  air  is 
damp  here." 

Morton  came  up  to  her  with  steady,  quick  steps. 
Helene  scarcely  dared  to  look. 

A  soft  rug  was  laid  across  her  lap,  and  John  stood 
beside  her.  "Is  it  not  fascinating  to  watch  a  mountain 
stream  straining  and  speeding  towards  its  future  ?  I 
love  it,  and  it  is  so  long  since  I  have  been  near  one. 
A  glorious  day,  Miss  Helene,  and  all  the  elements  in 
our  favor.  May  I  sit  down?" 

Helene  looked  up.    "Certainly,  Mr.  Morton." 

Her  gaze  sank  again  and  rested  on  her  shoes.  How 
clumsy  the  boots  were!  Looking  up  she  met  John's 
questioning  eyes. 

"I  am  glad  your  feet  are  resting  on  a  dry  spot,  Miss 
Helene;  you  must  guard  yourself  against  catching 
cold." 

"Are  you  not  over  cautious,  Mr.  Morton  ?" 

"Possibly,  but  you  know  I  have  just  come  from  a 
country  where  it  never  rains,  where  it  is  always  hot 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       155 

and  dry,  and  it  may  be  I  am  worrying  about  the  effects 
of  dampness  more  than  the  people  here  would  do.  It 
seems  a  crime  to  ask  you  to  wear  those  heavy  boots, 
but " 

"Oh,  Mr.  Morton,  I  don't  mind  them  at  all.  You 
are  very  kind  and  thoughtful.  We  are  under  a  deep 
obligation  to  you." 

"Please  forget  the  obligation.  Just  be  brave  and 
help  the  Prin —  I  mean  Miss  Marie,  to  keep  her  cour- 
age, and  we  shall  soon  be  out  of  this  forsaken  land. 
May  I  adjust  your  rug?  Ah — now  you  are  snug  and 
comfortable." 

"Thank  you.  It  is  delightful  to  sit  here  and  watch 
the  brook.  Isn't  the  contrast  between  the  pure  white 
on  the  ground  and  the  deep  green  of  the  trees  strik- 
ing?" 

John  assented.  "This  is  as  beautiful  a  spot  of  moun- 
tain scenery  as  I  have  ever  seen.  The  Carpathians 
are  far  wilder  than  I  imagined.  I  have  never  been  in 
these  Eastern  sections  of  Europe.  This  fine  Alpine 
landscape  equals  that  of  Switzerland  and  the  Tyrol. 
Do  you  know  this  country  well,  Miss  Helene?" 

"Not  very  well.  Three  years  ago  my  father  took 
me  to  Kimpola  at  the  foot  of  the  Negoi,  our  highest 
peak,  you  know.  The  mountains  there  are  covered 
with  snow  and  ice  all  the  year  round;  the  slopes  are 
very  steep  and  rocky,  devoid  of  all  vegetation.  It  is 
far  more  attractive  here." 

It  seemed  providential  that  he  had  come  at  this  time ; 
her  doubts  could  be  satisfied — why  not  take  courage 
and  ask  him  to  explain? 

"Mr.  Morton — may  I  ask  you  some  questions?" 

She  tried  to  look  unconcerned  though  inwardly  she 
was  greatly  agitated.  Would  he  resent  her  presump- 
tion? 

"My  dear  Miss  Helene,  I  am  quite  at  your  service." 


IS6       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

On  his  open  countenance  she  could  not  read  the  mental 
reservation  he  had  registered  in  his  thoughts;  she 
might  ask,  but  he  would  tell  her  only  what  was  good 
for  her  to  know. 

"First,  then,  allow  me  to  apologize  for  my  rudeness 
to  you  upon  our  second  interview.  I — I  was  very 
much  agitated  and — I  felt  humiliated  that  a  stranger 
had  been  sent  to  us  to  succor  the  Princess.  Even  now 
I  cannot  understand  why  one  of  our  own  cavaliers  had 
not  come  forward  on  behalf  of  his  monarch's  niece." 

In  the  pause  that  ensued  a  deep  frown  puckered  the 
young  man's  brow.  Helene  continued:  "I  am  in  the 
idark  as  to  what  happened  at  the  Capital,  but  our  army 
and  our  court  boasted  of  many  a  noble  devoted  to  their 
King ;  I — I  do  not  know  what  to  think,  what  to  say ! — 
Mr.  Morton — I  hope  you  are  not  offended  at  my  fool- 
ish questions?" 

John  looked  at  her  steadily  with  eyes  serious,  his 
face  alight  with  sympathy.  "Pray,  Miss  Helene,  do  not 
disturb  yourself  about  feelings;  but  take  my  advice 
and  let  well  enough  alone !  It  might  be  better  not  to 
inquire  too  curiously.  What  need  you  care  what  hap- 
pened at  the  Capital,  or  what  motives  have  prompted 
the  inaction  of  your  Roumelian  cavaliers?  Be  brave 
and  patient — and  when  we  are  once  across  the  border 
line — why — you  may  ask  all  the  questions  you  like. 
Think  now  only  of  Transylvania  and  safety." 

"Mr.  Morton — how  long  have  you  known  my 
father?" 

"I  have  not  known  the  General  very  long,  but  I  have 
known  him  long  enough  to  have  obtained  his  confi- 
dence. Evidently,  I  was  the  most  available  man  for 
the  job — I  mean  the  plan,  and — here  I  am.  Are  you 
dissatisfied  with  me?" 

Helene  colored  deeply,  raising  her  hand  almost  as 
if  in  supplication.  "Oh,  Mr.  Morton — please!  You 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       157 

have  been  so  kind,  so  considerate,  that  I  scarcely  know 
what  to  say.  The  Princess  feels  as  I  do.  But  she  also 
feels  so  forlorn,  so  abandoned  by  her  own  people  that 
she  can  only  wonder  how  you  came  to  be  our  pro- 
tector." 

"Comtesse — pardon  the  slip — Miss  Helene,  please  do 
not  dwell  on  that.  Of  the  affairs  of  Roumelia  and  the 
Count  I  know  but  little.  I  am  here  but  for  one 
purpose,  and  we  are  well  on  the  way  towards  its 
accomplishment.  Nothing  else  matters.  You  may 
recall,  however,  I  have  never  claimed  any  allegiance 
to  the  cause  of  royalty.  All  that  has  been  and  still 
is  on  my  mind  is  your  safety  and  that  of  the  Prin- 
cess— "  He  broke  off  with  an  assumption  of  impa- 
tience. "Your  father,  dear  lady,  felt  it  was  his  duty 
to  do  all  he  could  to  protect  Miss  Marie — of  course, 
you  were  in  his  thoughts  also.  It  has  been  my  hap- 
piness to  be  of  service  to  the  Count.  Please,  Miss 
Helene,  do  not  live  in  the  past,  but  look  ahead !  The 
world  is  beautiful,  you  are  young.  All  happiness  is 
before  you.  In  a  few  days  you  will  have  forgotten 
these  dark  weeks.  You  will  then  be  restored  to  your 
father.  Tell  me  now  about  yourself,  Miss  Helene. 
What  kind  of  a  life  does  a  lady  of  a  court,  a  petted 
and  admired  Comtesse,  lead?" 

His  assumed  lightness  of  manner  deceived  the  un- 
sophisticated girl.  Youth  does  not  dwell  on  misfor- 
tunes forever — it  is  more  comfortable  to  be  irrespon- 
sible! Her  frown  disappeared.  How  delightfully 
naive  this  foreigner  was! 

"There  is  very  little  to  tell,  Mr.  Morton.  Until  six 
years  ago  I  have  lived  at  home  with  my  dear  parents 
— very  quietly — studying  languages,  a  little  art  and 
music.  When  my  dear  mama  died — after  a  dark  and 
lonely  six  months — papa  sent  me  to  the  'Seurs  de 
Sacre  Coeur'  in  Gratz.  Last  year  he  called  for  me  and 


158       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

I  joined  him  in  Bucharest.  When  Princess  Marie  and 
her  court  left  for  their  annual  stay  at  the  Summer 
Castle  in  Padina — her  Majesty  the  Queen  proposed 
that  I  should  join  the  Princess.  I  think  father  wor- 
ried about  my  being  left  alone,  but  it  seemed  to  be  the 
best  arrangement  for  both  of  us.  I  have  really  never 
been  at  the  Court  itself;  indeed,  I  have  not  yet  been 
presented !"  Her  eyes  danced  with  fun.  "This  frock 
would  look  fine  for  my  debut — would  it  not?" 

She  rose,  shook  herself  free  from  the  folds  of  the 
rug  and  gave  him  a  deep  courtesy,  mischief  and  laugh- 
ter in  her  eyes,  as  she  murmured :  "Your  Highness — 
Your  obedient  servant!" 

John,  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  rekindled  happy 
moment,  and  holding  out  his  hand  to  the  charming 
maiden,  bowed  low  and  murmured  back :  "Your  slave, 
my  lady."  Both  laughed  aloud. 

Helene  was  the  first  to  recover  herself.  She  glanced 
at  the  fine  frank  face  before  her,  and  recalling  her  neg- 
lect of  her  companion,  exclaimed,  with  somewhat 
heightened  color :  "I  must  see  if  the  Princess  requires 
my  presence!  Permit  me  to  go  into  the  house." 

"Please  stay.  Before  I  came  here  Miss  Marie  told 
me  that  she  would  lie  down  and  rest.  She  is  probably 
asleep." 

"Are  you  not  afraid  I  shall  catch  cold,  Mr.  Mor- 
ton ?"  Helene  asked  roguishly. 

"Now,  you  are  teasing,  Miss  Helene !" 

"Forgive  me,  Mr.  Morton.  No,  you  have  been  more 
than  kind.  I  can  never  thank  you  sufficiently.  The 
Princess  and  I  must  be  a  great  anxiety  to  you.  I  shall 
tell  my  father  how  good  you  were.  Shall  we  return 
to  our  old  observatory?" 

All  shyness  and  timidity  had  now  left  the  young  girl. 
She  was  safe  with  this  strange  American.  His  quiet 
strength  inspired  confidence. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       159 

Resuming  her  seat,  she  snugly  wrapped  herself  up 
and  abandoned  herself  to  the  charm  of  the  view.  The 
warmth  of  the  sun  sent  her  blood  coursing  freely 
through  her  veins,  and  she  gave  a  free  rein  to  the 
happiness  of  the  moment.  Without  realizing  it,  her 
protector  meant  more  to  her  than  she  would  have  dared 
to  admit  to  herself.  Certainly  he  was  good  to  look 
upon.  His  eyes  were  so  frank  and  gentle  and  they 
looked  at  her  with  such  protecting  glances,  in  their  ex- 
pression. He  was  telling  her  now  of  his  travels  and 
his  home  life.  He  spoke  warmly  of  his  father  and 
with  devotion  of  his  mother.  He  seemed  glad  of  the 
opportunity  to  speak  of  his  people. 

"You  know,  Miss  Helene,  I  have  a  little  sister  at 
home,  about  your  age — a  jolly,  fine  girl;  you  would 
like  her,  I  am  sure.  And  my  mother — you  would  love 
her — everybody  does.  She  is  tall  and  very  handsome, 
with  the  loveliest  gray  hair,  and  the  face  of  a  young 
girl.  I  wish  you  could  meet  my  people  some  day. 
You  would  like  them,  I  think.  And  father,  oh,  he's  a 
splendid  fellow.  He  is  the  kind  of  man  who  is  every- 
body's friend.  He'd  adopt  you  as  his  own,  five  minutes 
after  he  saw  you." 

The  Comtesse  laughed  heartily.  "But  your  sister — 
how  old  is  she  and  what  is  her  name  ?" 

"Ruth  is  just  twenty;  she  is  named  after  her  aunt, 
my  mother's  sister." 

"What  a  beautiful  name — Ruth!  I  have  heard  that 
your  country  loves  the  Bible  names.  Is  she  fair?" 

"No,  Ruth  is  quite  a  brunette.  Father  is  dark — 
Ruth  favors  him." 

"And  when  do  you  expect  to  see  your  family  again, 
Mr.  Morton?" 

"I  expect  to  be  in  New  York  toward  the  beginning 
of  December.  I  had  some  disquieting  cables  about 
my  father's  health — you  know  I  haven't  been  home 


160       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

in  almost  two  years.  He  isn't  old,  but  he  has  worked 
hard  all  his  life.  I  should  have  been  home  earlier,  but 
— but  for  some  things  that  had  turned  up  unexpect- 
edly," he  concluded  rather  lamely. 

The  girl  grew  thoughtful;  she  guessed  to  what  he 
referred.  She  began  to  realize  what  a  sacrifice  it  had 
been  for  him.  What  could  she  say  ?  Dared  she  speak 
her  thoughts  ?  With  blood  mantling  to  her  cheek  and 
brow,  she  remained  silent. 

"A  penny  for  your  thoughts,  Miss  Helene!" 

"We  have  no  pennies  in  Roumelia,  we  call  them 
'banu.'  And  I  don't  think  they  are  worth  even  a 
penny." 

"I  will  take  my  chances  on  their  value." 

Providence  has  endowed  woman  with  a  sixth  sense 
which,  when  called  upon,  forms  a  defensive  armor  of 
no  mean  strength.  Helene's  intuition  told  her  she  was 
on  dangerous  ground,  and  she  changed  the  subject  of 
their  conversation.  Mr.  Morton's  eyes  had  been  in- 
sistently directed  to  her  face,  not  for  an  instant  had 
they  faltered — and  the  expression  in  them  was  a  little 
disquieting  to  her. 

"Please,  Mr.  Morton — may  I  inquire  what  we  are 
to  do  next?" 

Poor  John!  He  had  noticed  the  heightened  color, 
cursed  himself  for  an  imbecile  that  could  not  govern 
his  tongue,  saw  the  glorious  eyes  covered  by  their 
silken  lashes,  and  perceived  the  embarrassment.  He 
took  it  for  a  hint. 

"The  men  are  clearing  the  short  stretch  of  lane  that 
leads  from  the  road  to  our  camp  here.  The  road  itself 
is  in  very  fair  state.  The  moon  rises  about  midnight, 
and  if  sufficiently  light  we  shall  start  at  that  hour.  If 
very  cloudy,  or  if  it  snows  or  rains — I  wouldn't  care 
to  travel.  It  wouldn't  do  to  light  lanterns ;  we  might 
run  into  a  patrol  or  something  like  that,  and  would 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       161 

be  seen  before  we  had  warning.  I  have  examined  the 
road  and  country  with  Mihai,  some  kilometers  to  the 
north  of  us ;  the  brothers  know  the  country  thoroughly. 
Still — I  would  wait  another  day,  if  necessary,  rather 
than  risk  all  by  undue  haste." 

The  thoughtful  blue  eyes  looked  confidingly  into  his, 
and  John  decided  that  prudence  had  indeed  become  a 
virtue. 

"We  are  quite  safe  here,  Comtesse,  and  could  re- 
main undetected  for  days.  Still  I  hope  it  will  be  clear 
to-night  and  that  we  can  start.  As  it  is,  we  shall  have 
to  rest  the  horses  about  halfway.  We  must  cover  the 
last  stretch  in  the  dusk  or  at  night.  Mihai,  who  is  an 
experienced  woodsman,  suggests  that  even  a  light 
cloudiness  should  not  prevent  us  from  starting.  You 
remember,  Comtesse,  that  the  men  had  a  little  mishap 
with  their  reserve  horses,  and  that  we  have  no  relay 
between  here  and  the  Pass;  and,  of  course,  horses  are 
all-important  to  us  just  now/' 

Voices  from  the  wood  drew  their  attention. 

"Hello,  here  come  the  men ;  I  had  better  see  them  at 
once.  Do  you  wish  to  go  in,  Miss  Helene  ?  At  three 
o'clock,"  consulting  his  watch,  "we  shall  call  you  to 
dinner.  Thank  you  for  a  pleasant  hour,  Comtesse;  I 
hope  I  haven't  bored  you." 

"I  enjoyed  our  chat  immensely — and  thank  you 
ever  so  much,  Mr.  Morton." 

The  afternoon  meal  was  very  much  like  the  break- 
fast, and  consisted  mainly  of  canned  meats  and  fruits. 

John  sat  with  the  ladies,  helpful  and  cheerful  as 
always,  telling  tales  of  his  life  in  the  Soudan.  It  was 
his  business  to  keep  them  in  good  spirits,  and  he  ac- 
quitted himself  admirably. 

The  sun  sank  lower,  the  shadows  lengthened,  the 
blue  of  the  sky  deepened ;  there  was  not  a  cloud  on  the 
horizon.  Helene  had  begun  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of 


162       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

the  adventure,  and  felt  quite  proud  of  being  in  the 
confidence  of  their  leader. 

Towards  evening  the  packing  began,  and  every  ar- 
ticle was  gone  over  with  great  care  and  deliberation. 
John  was  everywhere,  calm  and  quiet,  seemingly  seeing 
everything,  the  men  accepting  his  absolute  authority 
as  a  matter  of  course. 

The  fast  sinking  sun  found  them  ready,  their 
work  finished.  Papiu  went  forward  up  the  lane,  tak- 
ing his  place  as  sentinel.  Donald  took  up  his  post  as 
watch  in  the  wood  to  the  north,  while  Mihai  retired  to 
his  quarters  to  sleep. 

John  approached  the  ladies,  who  had  now  retired 
to  their  cozy  sleeping  apartment,  and  begging  permis- 
sion came  to  the  door. 

"We  are  in  good  luck,  ladies;  we  shall  start  shortly 
after  midnight.  Everything  is  in  order.  Get  some 
sleep  now,  as  there  may  not  be  an  opportunity  for 
another  rest  for  many  hours.  I  will  call  you  at  eleven 
for  a  little  supper  before  we  start." 

The  girls  thanked  him  for  his  advice,  and,  after  a 
hearty  "Good  night,"  John  withdrew. 

Left  alone,  the  two  girls  made  themselves  com- 
fortable and  settled  down  to  sleep  and  rest,  lying  to- 
gether in  close  embrace.  The  Princess  was  soon  fast 
asleep,  but  Helene  could  not  sleep.  Her  thoughts  kept 
her  awake.  Through  her  brain  coursed  the  events  that 
had  .happened,  the  dangers  yet  before  them,  and  the 
strange  circumstances  in  which  she  now  found  herself. 
Where  would  she  meet  her  father?  Where  would 
they  live?  How  would  she  find  him?  The  Prin- 
cess, she  knew,  would  eventually  go  to  the  Court  of 
Saxe- Weimar — but  what  would  she,  the  daughter  of 
an  ex-Minister,  do  there?  She  did  not  long  for  life 
at  Court — and  what  position  could  her  father  occupy 
in  a  foreign  land — himself  a  stranger? 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       163 

What  did  it  mean?  And  what  was  Mr.  Morton's 
relation  to  her  father  and  to  this  affair?  These  ques- 
tions puzzled  her  again  and  again !  She  could  not  rest. 

Stealthily  she  lowered  her  limbs  to  the  floor,  scarcely 
disturbing  the  covers,  and  crept  from  the  bed.  Slip- 
ping into  her  fur  slippers — she  tiptoed  into  the  far  cor- 
ner to  the  tiny  lamp  that  shed  a  bright  light  upon  the 
diminutive  table.  She  drew  up  a  stool  and  took  from 
her  blouse  the  letter  from  her  dear  father  Morton  had 
delivered  to  her.  She  read  it  again  slowly,  studying 
each  sentence.  No,  there  was  nothing  there  of  his 
plans,  and  not  a  word  about  himself.  He  simply  said 
he  could  not  come  in  person. 

During  her  reading  she  had  not  noticed  the  chill 
which  prevaded  the  room.  Now  she  could  see  her 
breath  as  vapor  against  the  still  rays  of  the  lamp. 
Creeping  back  to  the  couch  for  a  rug  she  wrapped  it 
around  her  and  curled  herself  up  on  the  crude  parapet 
of  logs  running  along  the  outer  wall. 

Was  her  father  a  prisoner  somewhere  in  a  strange 
land?  Was  he  ill  or — tears  gathered  in  her  burning 
eyes. 

What  did  it  mean  ?  And  she — without  a  friend  or  a 
relative  in  the  world — without  experience  of  the 
world !  She  recalled  the  girls  at  the  convent,  and  how 
much  more  they  seemed  to  know  of  life  than  she  did; 
how  astonished  they  had  been  on  many  occasions  at  her 
ignorance.  They  had  dubbed  her  "Diana  the  Ingen- 
uous." 

She  was  without  clothes  or  money !  How  did  people 
get  these  things  ?  She  stared  into  the  gloomy  recesses 
of  the  darkened  room  and  shivered,  oppressed,  afraid. 
The  Princess  could  neither  help  her  nor  clear  up  her 
doubts — the  poor  child  knew  less  than  she  did  herself. 
Was  ever  anyone  so  forlorn,  so  abandoned  ? 

Then  her  pride  and  her  natural  energy  came  to  her 


164       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

assistance.  She  must  think — and  she  could  not  think 
in  this  prisonlike  room.  She  would  go  out,  and  breathe 
the  night  air,  and  pray — pray  for  enlightenment. 
"Oh,  father,"  she  sobbed,  "why  do  you  not  come  for 
me?" 

With  her  rug  about  her  she  crept  to  the  door  and, 
cautiously  opening  it,  peered  into  the  darkness  of 
the  adjoining  space.  Not  a  sound  was  to  be  heard. 
She  closed  the  door  behind  her  and  moved  swiftly 
towards  the  exit  leading  into  the  open  and  stepped  out 
onto  the  porch. 

There  was  light  enough  by  which  to  distinguish 
the  outlines  of  beams  and  eaves  against  the  bit  of  sky 
visible  above  the  tops  of  the  tall  trees.  In  the  deep 
shadow  of  the  porch  her  eyes,  now  accustomed  to  the 
doubtful  light,  made  out  the  shapes  of  the  bench  and 
the  packages  with  which  it  was  loaded.  She  hoped 
no  one  would  find  her  there.  It  was  very  cold,  but  she 
wrapped  herself  in  the  rug,  glad  of  its  protection. 

Through  the  firs  came  the  sound  of  the  rushing 
waters  of  the  stream  in  the  gully;  she  could  see  the 
stars  and  a  faintly  brighter  spot  in  the  heavens  toward 
the  east.  Leaning  against  the  roughly  hewn  pillar  in 
an  attempt  to  rest,  she  now  began  to  regret  her  child- 
ish flight  from  the  room. 

"Hello!"  came  in  suppressed,  but  very  peremptory 
tones,  "who  is  there?" 

The  ever-watchful  Morton  stepped  from  the  offing 
towards  the  gully. 

"Oh — Mr.  Morton — it  is  only  I !"  Her  words  came 
in  timid  gasps.  "I  couldn't  sleep.  I  was  restless  and 
unhappy,  and  I  thought  I  would  sit  outdoors  a  while. 
I  am  sorry  if  I  have  disturbed  or  startled  you — I  shall 
go  right  in!" 

Morton  threw  away  his  lighted  cigar  and  went  to- 
wards the  house. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       165 

"My  dear  lady,  what  is  the  matter?"  WitH  quick 
steps  he  reached  her  and  took  a  limp  little  hand  pro- 
tectingly  into  his  own.  "You  haven't  startled  me.  Of 
course — if  you  could  not  sleep — I  know  how  stuffy  the 
room  is.  Is  the  Princess  asleep  ?" 

"Yes,  sound  asleep,  poor  darling;  but  I  couldn't 
rest." 

"Come,  Miss  Helene,  let  me  arrange  a  seat  for  you 
here  on  the  porch.  Sit  down  and  rest  yourself."  Suit- 
ing his  action  to  his  words,  he  removed  the  bundles 
from  the  bench,  pulling  his  seat  somewhat  nearer  to 
the  edge  of  the  flooring,  spread  the  blankets  that  had 
covered  the  packages  over  the  boards,  and  leading 
Helene  to  it  gently  urged  her  to  sit  down,  and  he  care- 
fully wrapped  her  in  the  rug. 

"Now  you  can  sit  in  comfort.  I  am  sorry  you  must 
be  here  in  the  dark,  but  I  do  not  dare  to  light  the 
lanterns,  and  cannot  give  you  a  fire  in  the  room — there 
is  no  chimney.  In  an  hour  or  so  our  supper — or  rather 
breakfast — will  be  ready  and  shortly  after  that  we  shall 
start.  Do  you  see  that  light  streak  over  the  hillside, 
Comtesse?  That  is  where  our  friend  the  moon  will 
appear  in  sixty  minutes  or  so,  and  then — we  shall  bid 
good-by  to  this  gloomy  place." 

"Oh,  Mr.  Morton,  you  are  so  kind.  I  ought  not  to 
add  to  your  burden  by  my  foolishness.  Please,  don't 
mind  me — don't  let  me  keep  you  from  your  intended 
work.  I  am  making  your  duties  only  the  more  ardu- 
ous." 

•  Morton  gave  vent  to  a  hearty  though  subdued  laugh. 
"I  haven't  a  thing  to  do  but  to  wait  until  the  fixed 
time  arrives.  I  also  couldn't  sleep.  If  Donald  catches 
me  he  will  scold  me,  too.  So  you  see,  Miss  Helene,  we 
are  culprits  together.  It  is  a  glorious  night — it  couldn't 
be  better  for  our  plans  if  we  had  ordered  it.  Mihai 
will  ride  ahead.  The  horses  are  in  fine  form,  and  by 


166       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

daybreak  we  shall  be  fully  twenty-five  miles  up  the 
road.  Then,  after  a  good  rest  we  will  start  out  towards 
the  saddle  of  the  mountain  range,  and  get  there  just  in 
the  right  time.  Why,  to-morrow  at  this  hour  I  will 
have  you  both  in  a  nice  cozy  room  at  the  best  hotel  in 
Raros.  The  morning  after  you  will  be  in  a  warm 
coupe  on  the  railroad,  speeding  on  your  way  to  your 
friends!  It  couldn't  have  gone  better  in  the  piping 
times  of  peace!" 

"You  are  very  good,"  murmured  the  girl.  His  con- 
fident cheerfulness  was  infectious.  Fear  and  doubt 
had  vanished,  and  she  resolved  to  be  obedient  to  his 
earlier  request  and  refrain  from  worrying.  But  as  to 
one  thing  she  had  made  up  her  mind — she  must  know 
about  her  father. 

"Mr.  Morton — why  doesn't  my  father  write  where 
I  am  to  meet  him?  And  why  didn't  he  at  least  come 
to  the  border?" 

Luckily  it  was  dark.  "More  trouble  coming — this 
young  person  has  a  mania  for  questioning!"  Mor- 
ton reflected,  but  he  was  now  thoroughly  on  the  alert ! 

"Oh,  did  I  forget  to  explain  that  ?  Why,  the  General 
felt  that  if  he  were  recognized  anywhere  near  the  Rou- 
melian  line,  the  alarm  might  be  given  and  then  my 
opportunity  to  get  you  two  ladies  away  would  be  gone. 
The  only  thing  to  do  was  to  be  bold  and  avoid  arousing 
suspicion.  We  were  informed  as  to  the  conditions  in 
Padina  and  elsewhere — through  Baron  de  Haas,  who 
wired  from  Constantinople,  as  you  know.  Where  will 
he  join  you?  Hm — I  am  not  certain,  but  I  have  ar- 
ranged to  wire  him  the  moment  it  can  be  done  safely 
and  I  think  he  expects  to  meet  you  at  Weimar.  He 
will  be  there  ahead  of  us,  no  doubt." 

"Mr.  Morton — where  did  you  first  meet  my  father?" 

"On  his  return  trip  from  India.  We  spent  days  in 
each  other's  society,  and  became  quite  intimate.  I  am 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       167 

very  proud  indeed  to  be  a  friend  of  the  General,  whom 
I  admire  above  all  men.  I  deem  the  confidence  he 
has  placed  in  me  a  great  compliment — nay,  even  a  noble 
condescension !" 

There  are  many  workings  of  the  human  mind  not 
yet  understood — a  girl's  courage  seems  to  expand  in 
direct  ratio  to  the  cube  of  her  obscured  sight.  The 
timid  Helene  knew  she  could  not  be  observed  and  sus- 
pected her  informant,  whom  she  could  not  see  in  the 
darkness.  She  was,  therefore,  the  more  determined 
to  find  out  more  of  her  father. 

"Oh,  you  met  him  on  the  steamer  from  India  ?  How 
was  my  father  when  you  saw  him  last?" 

John  was  quick  in  his  answer,  and  took  refuge  in 
rapid  speech. 

"The  last  time  I  spoke  to  the  Count  was  on  an  even- 
ing as  lovely  as  this.  The  stars  were  shining  just  as 
bright  as  they  do  now.  We  were  discussing  astronomy 
and  kindred  subjects.  The  General  is  an  unusually 
well-informed  man — and  a  delightful  companion!  I 
asked  him  if  he  admired  the  much  glorified  Southern 
Cross,  sung  in  verse  and  praised  in  prose — and  your 
father  surprised  me  by  confessing  that  he  had  never 
noticed  it  at  all!  Then  we  spoke  of  the  stars  of  our 
own  latitudes — you  know  we  in  America  see  the  same 
heavens  as  you  do.  He  was  pleased  when  I  told  him 
that  our  own  'Big  Dipper'  was  far  more  beautiful 
than  the  famed  southern  constellation.  I  remember 
well  his  remark:  'Give  me  our  own  land,  our  own 
stars,  our '  " 

"The  Big  Dipper?    What  is  that?" 

John  was  delighted  to  find  he  had  succeeded  in  turn- 
ing the  conversation. 

"Why,  Comtesse,  don't  you  know  the  beautiful  con- 
stellation of  seven  big,  bright  stars  that  point  to  the 
Polar  Star  ?  To  men  living  in  the  free  air  of  primitive 


i68       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

and  thinly  settled  countries,  it  is  their  guide  in  their 
travels — their  compass  at  night.  See,  Miss  Helene, 
yonder  in  the  north — that  fine  group  looking  like  a 
giant  S?  That's  the  constellation  which  we  Anglo- 
Saxons  in  our  practical,  non-poetic  way  call  'The 
Big  Dipper/  In  form  it  looks  like  a  pot  with  a  crooked 
handle,  doesn't  it?" 

"Oh,  we  call  it  the  'Great  Bear' — it  is  the  'Ursus 
Major'  of  the  old  Romans!  I — I  have  always  loved 
it.  Astronomy  is  one  of  my  favorite  studies,  Mr. 
Morton." 

John  mentally  patted  himself  on  the  back;  he  cer- 
tainly had  managed  it  well.  He  entered  with  renewed 
enthusiasm  on  the  subject  and  allowed  her  to  instruct 
him  in  a  science  the  study  of  which  had  taken  up  many 
nights  of  his  life.  Never  in  his  life  had  John  Morton, 
the  learned  savant  and  traveler,  enjoyed  himself  so 
thoroughly.  He  was  perfectly  happy  to  sit  at  the  feet 
of  his  new  teacher. 

He  turned  eagerly  towards  Helene,  and  though  he 
could  but  faintly  make  out  the  outlines  of  her  hooded 
figure,  he  yet  saw  the  eyes  that  shone  intermittently 
under  the  protecting  shadow.  Once  more  he  relapsed 
into  the  stage  of  adoration.  He  pictured  to  himself  the 
glorious  eyes,  the  temptingly  arched  lips,  the  delicate 
cheeks.  His  heart  went  out  towards  the  lonely,  for- 
saken girl.  He  longed  to  take  her  into  his  arms — to 
comfort  and  caress  her.  But — what  was  he  think- 
ing of?  He  pulled  himself  together  with  a  mighty 
effort. 

Helene,  all  unconscious  of  the  turmoil  in  the  breast 
of  her  companion,  leaned  towards  him  and  pointed 
upward. 

"You  will  hardly  believe  it,  Mr.  Morton,  but  I 
don't  think  I  ever  sat  up  as  late  as  this,  nor  do  I  re- 
member ever  having  seen  the  sky  so  beautiful  and  so 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       169 

full  of  stars  as  it  is  to-night.  It  is  a  most  glorious 
sight." 

"It  is,  indeed,  Miss  Helene.  Even  I,  who  have  lain 
awake  numberless  nights,  the  entire  dome  and  horizon 
free  and  unobstructed  above  me — have  never  seen  it 
more  gorgeous.  For  me  the  night  skies  always  have 
a  curious  charm — the  lure  as  of  a  mystery — they  fill 
me  with  unknown  longings.  I  believe  I  could  easily 
become  a  devotee  to  the  worship  of  the  starry  heavens." 

Without  knowing,  perhaps  without  even  realizing  it, 
he  had  taken  hold  of  the  extended  hand  of  the  girl,  and 
drew  it  gently  to  himself  in  a  light  and  tender  grasp. 
Helene  was  utterly  unconscious  of  his  action;  she  was 
so  happy. 

"They  have  a  strange  power  over  me,"  she  whis- 
pered rather  than  spoke  the  words.  "I  could  sit  and 
look  at  them  and  forget  everything  else." 

Morton's  voice,  equally  subdued,  whispered  back: 
"Is  it  not  your  own  famous  Queen,  the  poetic  and  noble 
'Carmen  Sylva,'  who  says:  'The  night  has  thousands 
of  eyes  watching  its  children'  ?  There  is  a  lovely  lady !" 

"Oh,  Mr.  Morton,  is  she  not?  Noble  and  good — 
and  so  beautiful !  Have  you  read  her  books  ?" 

"Some  of  them,  Comtesse, and  I  admire  them  exceed- 
ingly. But  don't  forget  that  for  more  than  two  years 
I  haven't  seen  a  new  book.  During  those  two  years 
I  have  dreamed  of  happiness  to  come,  my  longings 
have  become  crystallized — and  under  these  stars,  I 
feel,  my  fate  is  being  sealed — here  or  at  some  other 
place — who  knows?  Miss  Helene — for  two  years  I 
haven't  looked  upon — I  haven't  spoken  to  a  woman. 
Meeting  you  has  shown  me  so  much  more  clearly  the 
great  treasure  of  a  noble  woman.  Do  not  attribute 
my  words  to  the  hour  or  the  stars.  Let  me  plead — 
plead  for  myself.  Permit  me  to  tell  you  that  from  the 
bottom  of  my  heart,  I  am  glad  to  have  known  your 
12 


170       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

father;  glad  he  selected  me  to  be  the  bearer  of  his 
letter;  happy  to  be  of  service  to  you.  I  shall  always 
bless  the  fate  that  let  me  meet  you !  And  when  you  are 
back  among  your  friends,  I  hope  you  will  let  me  still 
be  your  friend  and  grant  me  the  opportunity  to  be 
worthy  of  your  friendship — your  regard." 

Rising,  he  lightly  touched  the  hand  he  had  been  hold- 
ing and  gently  released  it.  Then  he  added :  "And  may 
the  'Big  Bear'  plead  for  me !" 

Helene  sat  motionless.  Her  heart  was  beating  wild- 
ly. His  words  filled  her  with  a  curious  warmth  as 
though  in  response  to  a  desired  caress.  She  blessed 
the  darkness  that  hid  the  telltale  burning  in  her  cheeks, 
— she  felt  she  didn't  know  what — she  knew  only  that 
she  was  happy,  at  peace  with  everything — and  above 
all — she  was  glad  it  was  dark! 

She  rose  confusedly  and,  to  his  great  surprise,  said 
in  a  low  voice,  quite  clearly : 

"Mr.  Morton — I  have  known  few  gentlemen  other 
than  my  father;  but  it  has  been  my  privilege  to  meet 
you.  I  shall  be  proud  of  your  friendship — any  time 
and  anywhere." 

She  bowed  slightly,  but  suddenly  recalling  herself  to 
her  position,  she  became  afraid  and  added :  "And  the 
unhappy  Princess,  I  am  sure,  feels  as  I  do." 

"I  thank  you.  And  now,  won't  you  go  in  and  waken 
Miss  Marie  ?  I  see  the  silvery  strip  over  the  hill  wid- 
ening; Mihai  is  scraping  in  the  shed  and  breakfast 
will  soon  be  ready." 

Then  to  himself  he  whispered :  "God  bless  you,  dear 
love!" — Aloud,  he  added:  "Till  breakfast,  Miss 
Helene!" 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  frowning  and  forbiddingly  gloomy  slope! 
of  the  hillside  across  the  gorge  to  the  East 
showed  clear  against  the  sulphur  streak  in  the 
sky,  when  the  lumbering  vehicle  drew  up  before  the 
porch  and  the  order  came  to  start. 

Morton  in  short  serviceable  sheep  furs  that  set  off 
his  square  shoulders  and  powerful  chest,  helped  the 
ladies  into  their  wagon-recess.  The  horses  strained 
and  pulled;  the  sled-runners  squeaked  and  scratched 
but  luckily  held;  the  drivers,  by  turns,  coaxed  and 
threatened,  prayed  and  swore,  until  at  last?  the  vehicle 
was  gotten  under  way.  Papiu  walked  at  the  head  of 
the  horses,  Donald  handled  the  reins  while  the  younger 
of  the  brothers,  astride  the  leader,  encouraged  the 
animals  in  the  subtle,  mysterious  ways  which  only  the 
experienced  teamster  knows.  As  they  emerged  from 
the  protection  of  the  firs  and  the  thick  undergrowth 
the  road  became  brighter  and  sloped  perceptibly  to- 
wards the  narrow  valley  which  marked  the  location  of 
the  mountain  road  leading  to  the  West. 

John,  who  was  following  on  behind  the  vehicle 
which  had  now  become  in  reality  a  sled  on  wheels, 
aided  the  runners,  with  the  help  of  a  stout  stick.  There 
was  no  opportunity  for  conversation. 

The  girls,  snugly  wrapped  in  furs,  sat  in  silence  ob- 
serving the  mighty  efforts  of  the  men  and  after  a 
while  picked  up  sufficient  courage  to  inquire  if  they 
could  not  aid  the  poor  animals  by  walking.  Morton 
shook  his  head  and  begged  them  to  remain  where  they 

171 


172       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

were,  for  the  present.  Later  on,  when  the  climb  would 
begin,  he  might  ask  them  to  do  what  they  had  sug- 
gested. 

With  many  oaths  and  imprecations  on  the  part  of 
the  men  and  with  not  a  few  misgivings  on  the  part  of 
the  girls,  the  valley  was  finally  reached.  They  then  re- 
moved the  appended  runners  and  hid  their  tracks  as 
best  they  could.  They  followed  the  fairly  firm  road- 
bed winding  along  the  banks  of  a  noisy  mountain 
stream,  and  struck  off  to  the  North. 

The  stars  were  shining  brightly,  the  narrow  crescent 
of  the  pale  moon  had  risen  high  and  clear  above  the 
mountain  slopes  and  timber,  the  rattle  and  clatter  of 
the  wagon  had  ceased  and  instead  was  heard  the 
crunching  of  crisp  snow  on  frozen  ground. 

The  road  wound  through  densely  wooded  inclines, 
over  rocky  bare  stretches  without  a  semblance  of  cul- 
tivation or  a  sign  of  human  dwelling.  From  time 
to  time  an  owl  would  flit  across  their  path.  Their 
progress  was  accompanied  by  the  sound  of  rushing 
waters,  the  heavy  breathing  of  the  laboring  horses  and 
the  occasional  creak  of  a  breaking  twig. 

Helene  had  noticed  that  John's  rifle  was  lying  across 
the  opening  at  the  rear  of  the  wagon  and  saw  that  he 
himself  had  fastened  his  cartridge  belt  over  his  fur 
coat.  The  other  men  also  had  their  rifles  ready  and 
their  pistols  in  their  belts.  Papiu,  she  saw,  had  been 
sent  forward,  as  a  scout.  With  trepidation  she  asked 
Morton  if  he  expected  an  attack. 

John  smiled  and  reassured  her.  At  the  same  time, 
he  told  her,  it  was  best  to  be  prepared  for  any  emer- 
gency. The  wires  had  all  been  cut  from  Padina  and 
the  South,  and  as  they  were  traveling  on  the  only  road 
leading  to  the  Aluta  Valley,  they  must  be  on  the  alert. 

At  that  moment,  a  short  sharp  call  rang  out  in 
the  distance  and  the  horses  were  halted.  John  rushed 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       173 

hurriedly  away.  Helena  was  left  in  anxious  expecta- 
tion, but  he  returned  after  a  few  minutes'  absence  and 
explained  that  the  delay  was  due  to  a  tree  which  had 
fallen  across  the  road,  and  which  had  now  been  re- 
moved. If  she  wished,  she  and  the  Princess  could 
now  leave  the  wagon  and  walk. 

The  Princess  was  too  tired,  but  Helena  was  de- 
lighted at  the  suggestion.  She  clambered  out  of  the 
vehicle  and  joined  Morton. 

The  moon  had  now  reached  the  high  heavens  and 
spread  its  gentle  light  silvering  the  entire  snow- 
covered  landscape.  Looking  back  on  the  road  they 
were  traveling  she  saw  the  deep  furrows  made  by  the 
wheels  of  the  wagon  edged  with  glinting  crystals. 
The  rare  mountain  air  sent  the  blood  tingling  through 
her  veins.  She  experienced  a  sense  of  renewed 
strength  and  her  supple  and  strong  limbs  marched  to 
the  musical  rhythm  of  her  thoughts.  A  delightful 
feeling  of  comradeship  with  this  man  by  whose  side  she 
was  walking  pervaded  her.  She  felt  content,  quite 
happily  content  that  it  should  be  so.  How  strange  it 
was  that  she  should  be  so  perfectly  at  ease  with  one 
whom  she  had  known  but  three  days ! 

As  for  John  his  heart  beat  time  to  her  steps.  He 
was  ever  ready  to  help  her  over  a  tree-stump  or  a 
stone.  He  chatted  ceaselessly  of  his  hunting  expedi- 
tions in  America,  of  his  enjoyment  of  the  present  ad- 
venture, of  the  beauty  of  the  Carpathian  landscape. 
And  all  the  time  Helene  noted  his  eyes  were  every- 
where, taking  in  everything,  noting  the  least  untoward 
sound.  A  capital  companion  and  a  chivalrous  pro- 
tector, surely,  was  this  stranger  from  America!  Un- 
consciously, his  bearing  transmitted  its  spirit  to  her. 
The  noble  blood  in  her  asserted  itself  and  she  walked 
more  erectly  and  felt  a  new  desire  steal  into  her  heart, 
to  help  and  be  of  service  to  others.  Thus  did  they 


174       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

climb  together  the  rocky  ascent,  each  thinking  of  the 
other  and  both  happy  in  their  thoughts. 

The  moonlight  which  had  grown  paler  and  more 
mysterious  now  gradually  gave  way  to  the  first  hazy 
drab  of  the  dawn.  They  had  reached  the  more  rugged 
parts  of  the  mountains  where  the  ribbed  cliffs  lay  ex- 
posed, uncovered  by  snow.  Sparse  brown  patches  of 
grass  and  withered  ferns  showed  on  the  small  open 
spaces.  A  bleak  wind  which  had  risen  and  was  sweep- 
ing over  the  unfriendly  landscape  made  the  air  bit- 
ingly  cold.  John  threw  occasional  glances  at  the  girl 
by  his  side  and  noted  with  pain  her  pale,  haggard  face, 
the  eyes  bright  from  the  exercise,  the  parted  lips 
almost  blue  with  the  cold.  But  he  also  saw  that  she 
was  happy.  What  a  splendid,  noble-hearted  creature, 
he  thought,  was  this!  And  then  the  longing  arose  in 
him  again  to  tell  her  of  what  he  felt — io  speak  to  her 
of  his  heart's  desires;  but  he  restrained  himself, 
although  it  cost  him  a  great  effort  to  do  so.  Helene, 
all  unconscious  of  the  emotions  she  had  excited  in 
Morton,  would  look  at  him,  from  time  to  time,  silently 
thank  him  with  a  smile  and  a  grateful  glance,  gladly 
accepting  the  helping  arm  he  proffered.  Her  little 
hand  rested  there  with  easy  confidence,  the  while  her 
silvery  laughter  rang  out  in  the  clear  air  when  the 
obstacle  had  been  overcome  or  avoided.  And  all  the 
way  John  kept  thinking:  "I  have  found  the  pearl  of 
the  land — I  have  found  her  and  am  taking  her  home — 
home  to  comfort  and  love.  Do  you  love  me,  my 
queen?  Shall  I  win  you  in  the  end?" 

At  that  moment,  a  low  exclamation  of  warning 
came  from  Mihai  who  was  leading  the  tired  horses. 
John  and  Helene  looked  anxiously  before  them  and 
saw  the  advance  guard  holding  up  his  rifle  and  wav- 
ing his  hand.  Donald  also  was  motioning  to  Morton 
to  come  forward.  Urging  Helene  gently  into  the 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       175 

wagon,  John  seized  his  rifle  and  bounded  forward. 
He  found  the  men  crouching  behind  a  rock  and 
learned  that  Papiu  had  gone  on  to  investigate. 

The  girls,  in  the  meantime,  sat  huddled  close  to- 
gether in  the  wagon,  wondering  what  had  happened. 
They  listened  intently,  but  could  hear  nothing  but  a 
sound  like  the  loud  cracking  as  of  a  whip,  which  was 
repeated  several  times  and  then  ceased  altogether.  The 
Princess  was  trembling  from  fear.  She  begged  her 
companion  to  let  her  go  out,  but  Helene  kept  her  back. 

In  a  few  minutes  Morton  appeared  at  the  opening 
of  the  wagon  and  nodded  to  them  smilingly.  He  was 
holding  a  compass  and  a  map  in  his  hands.  He  in- 
formed them  that  they  were  about  to  take  a  branch 
road  and  that  there  was  nothing  to  fear. 

Morton  seized  the  leader  of  the  horses  by  the  hand 
while  the  men  pulled  at  the  wheels.  In  a  short  pace 
of  time  the  wagon  was  turned  round  and  the  party 
retraced  the  road  they  had  traversed. 

Soon  they  entered  the  branch  road  and  found  it  to 
be  but  a  woodsman's  run.  It  was  thickly  carpeted 
with  pine  needles  and  wound  its  narrow  way  through 
a  dense  growth  of  hemlock,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  see. 
They  drove  for  some  time  in  silence,  crossing  a  few 
shallow  streams  and  arrived  at  last  at  the  foot  of  a 
rocky  height  which  rose  sheer.  Here  they  came  to  a 
halt,  and  Morton  informed  Helene  and  the  Princess 
that  they  were  to  stop  here  for  rest  and  refreshment. 

Baskets  were  quickly  unpacked  and  a  substantial 
repast  was  spread  out  before  the  weary  travelers.  The 
girls  ate  in  anxious  silence  while  Morton  explained 
to  them  that  the  men  had  gone  merely  to  clear  the 
road.  They  could  hear,  from  where  they  were  sitting, 
the  sound  of  wood  being  sawn  and  the  occasional 
breaking  of  branches.  After  what  seemed  to  the  girls 
an  endless  time,  the  men  returned  and  Morton  an- 


176       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

nounced  that  they  would  shortly  continue  their  jour- 
ney— but  this  time  on  foot.  The  men  knew  of  a  foot- 
path over  the  mountains  along  which  it  would  be  more 
prudent  to  travel  than  on  the  highway,  and  a  tramp 
of  nine  or  ten  kilometers  would  bring  them  to  the 
main  road  along  the  Aluta  and  across  the  divide  into 
Transylvania.  Morton  explained  all  this  cheerfully 
and  said  they  must  travel  with  light  baggage — the 
most  necessary  things  only. 

The  girls  gladly  assented  and  in  a  short  time  they 
had  made  their  preparations  for  the  journey.  Mihai, 
who  had  left  a  short  time  before,  now  returned  and 
mounting  the  wagon,  drove  off  following  the  woods- 
men's road.  As  soon  as  he  was  out  of  hearing  Papiu 
rose  and  in  response  to  a  nod  from  Morton,  struck 
out  to  the  right,  carefully  skirting  the  ledge.  Donald 
followed  with  the  girls  behind  him  and  John  brought 
up  the  rear.  In  this  Indian-file  fashion  they  advanced 
through  the  timber,  slipping  occasionally  over  the 
thick  carpet  of  pine  needles,  but  making  good  progress 
and  always  mounting  higher  and  higher. 

Helene,  whom  the  events  of  the  morning  had  filled 
with  vague  doubts  and  to  whom  the  climb  thus  far 
had  been  quite  easy,  waited  impatiently  for  a  favor- 
able opportunity  to  question  Morton.  The  halt  and 
the  return  as  well  as  the  men's  disappearance  had 
puzzled  her. 

The  opportunity  came  when  they  arrived  at  a  rela- 
tively level  stretch,  a  small  plateau  bordered  on  their 
left  by  the  dense  timber  and  gradually  losing  itself  in 
the  opposite  direction  into  the  forbidding  rocky  ex- 
panse of  the  mountain.  She  waited  for  Morton  to  get 
up  to  her  and  then  asked  him  what  the  sudden  change 
in  their  route  betokened.  Had  he  suspected  any 
danger  ? 

Morton  met  her  honest  eyes  with  a  perfectly  as- 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       177 

sumed  innocence  of  gaze  in  his  own  and  explained 
quietly  that  they  had  encountered  a  small  patrol  of  a 
few  men  on  foot,  who  had  ordered  them  to  halt.  To 
avoid  being  questioned  too  closely  they  had  started  to 
withdraw  when  one  of  the  gendarmes  had  fired. 
This  fire  they  had  returned  and  had  put  the  patrol 
to  flight.  One  of  the  soldiers,  unfortunately,  had 
been  hit  and  left  behind.  Mihai,  pretending  to  be  a 
peasant  casually  passing  by,  had  gone  forward  and 
had  bandaged  the  man's  slight  wound.  He  had  left 
him  in  a  protected  spot,  with  food  and  water,  where 
he  would  be  easily  found  by  his  returning  comrades. 
It  was  from  this  soldier  that  Mihai  had  received  the 
information  which  prompted  them  to  turn  back  and 
take  this'  new  path.  Very  few  people  knew  of  a  pas- 
sage or  road  crossing  the  slopes  of  the  dreaded 
"Caineni" — his  own  military  map  did  not  show  it — 
Papiu  and  Mihai  were  well  acquainted  with  the  path, 
and  .  .  ... 

"You  haven't  killed  one  of  those  poor  soldiers,  have 
you,  Mr.  Morton?"  exclaimed  Helene  in  awestruck 
tones. 

Morton  smiled  and  assured  her  that  no  one  had 
been  killed.  The  shots  were  intended  to  frighten  them 
only.  Mihai  had  reported  that  the  soldier  who  had 
been  wounded  would  be  all  right — his  mates  would  be 
certain  to  find  him.  Miss  Helene  need  have  no 
anxiety.  All  her  strength  was  now  needed  for  the 
climb  that  was  before  them.  He  begged  her  to  keep 
up  heart  and  cheer  the  Princess. 

They  had  now  reached  the  narrow  gully  from 
which  the  spring  descended.  Helene  could  not  re- 
press a  slight  shudder  as  she  saw  the  native  guide 
turn  and  pointing  upward  begin  the  precipitous 
ascent. 

It  needed  all  the  strength  the  girls  possessed  to 


178       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

follow.  Don  gave  a  helping  hand  to  the  Princess  and 
John  supported  Helene's  faltering  steps.  It  was  a 
long,  tedious  and  heart-breaking  climb.  The  Prin- 
cess, again  and  again,  begged  to  be  allowed  to  rest, 
saying  that  it  was  impossible  for  her  to  continue  much 
longer.  But  Donald  would  put  his  arm  around  her 
and  almost  carry  her  up  bodily.  Helene,  pale  and 
staggering,  found  Morton's  ever  ready  arm  to  aid  her 
and  his  quiet  cheerful  smile  to  encourage  her. 

The  climb  once  begun  they  dared  not  stop.  So 
up,  up  they  went  and  after  an  hour  or  two  the  sun 
became  visible  through  the  light  haze  which  an  icy 
wind  was  dissipating.  Before  them  appeared  a  hori- 
zontal ledge  and  on  this  the  exhausted  girls  lay  down, 
panting  for  breath.  Morton  decided  to  remain  here 
for  a  space  so  as  to  allow  them  to  recover  themselves. 
He  was  deeply  distressed  to  witness  their  prostrated 
condition.  He  ordered  the  men  to  unroll  and  spread 
the  rugs  on  the  ground  for  the  better  comfort  of  the 
Princess  and  Helene. 

From  his  blouse  he  drew  the  soft,  fur-lined  boots 
the  girls  had  worn  in  the  cabin,  and  displaying  them, 
said  with  as  much  cheer  as  he  could  muster :  "Here, 
brave  ladies — here  is  comfort  for  your  feet!"  With 
faint  glad  cries  they  seized  them  and  managed  with  a 
little  difficulty  to  exchange  them  for  the  hard  leather 
boots  which  had  sorely  rubbed  their  delicate  feet. 
Soon  the  color  had  returned  to  their  pale  faces  and 
Morton  was  rewarded  by  seeing  them  embrace  each 
other  with  tearful  smiles.  He  seized  the  opportunity 
to  further  encourage  them  by  telling  them  that  the 
worst  of  the  journey  was  over.  "Another  ascent  of 
1 60  meters,"  he  said,  "and  then  the  easy  descent  to 
the  smiling  plains  below.  Let  me  know  when  you  are 
sufficiently  rested  and  we  will  start." 

Princess  Marie  tried  to  smile  through  tears  which 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       179 

were  now  freely  coursing  down  her  pale  cheeks.  "You 
ought  not  to  be  burdened  by  me,  sir.  I  feel  I  shall  be 
the  cause  of  your  being  overtaken — I  am  putting 
all  of  you  into  jeopardy!"  Crying,  Helene  put  her 
arms  about  the  Princess  and  begged  her  to  be  of  good 
courage.  All  would  be  well,  soon. 

Morton  waited  in  silence,  knowing  that  Helene 
would  succeed  where  he  must  fail.  When  he  saw  that 
the  Princess  had  somewhat  recovered,  he  said :  ''Dear 
lady,  I  assure  you  the  worst  is  over.  It  is  my  duty 
and  my  honor  to  protect  you  and  lead  you  both  to 
safety.  As  soon  as  Mihai  rejoins  us  we  shall  make 
better  progress.  There,  upon  that  little  ridge,"  point- 
ing ahead,  "we  shall  rest  once  more  and  before  long 
we  shall  be  at  the  divide.  You  have  done  nobly,  Prin- 
cess." 

Helped  by  Helene,  Marie  rose,  smiling  through 
tears,  and  finding  her  limbs  would  support  her,  said 
bravely:  "Thank  you,  Mr.  Morton,  I  shall  manage 
now." 

The  men  rolled  up  the  rugs,  and  the  party,  taking  the 
same  order  of  march  as  before,  resumed  the  climb. 

Patiently  and  silently  the  girls  trudged  along;  the 
path  had  become  almost  undistinguishable,  but  the 
footing  was  much  firmer  and  easier.  The  ascent,  how- 
ever, was  steeper. 

After  great  difficulty,  Donald  and  Mihai,  half  car- 
rying the  Princess  between  them,  the  party  at  last  suc- 
ceeded in  reaching  the  ridge  Morton  had  indicated. 
By  this  time  the  Princess  could  scarcely  stand  on  her 
legs.  She  collapsed  on  the  rug  spread  on  the  rock. 
Although  suffering  acutely,  she  begged  Morton,  in  a 
whisper,  to  forgive  her  for  her  weakness.  Her 
strength  seemed  to  have  gone  from  her. 

Morton  remained  cool,  though  somewhat  alarmed. 
He  forced  some  brandy  from  his  flask  between  the 


i8o       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

girl's  lips  and  wrapped  her  carefully  in  his  robe. 
Helene,  tired  and  worn  out  as  she  also  was,  assisted 
him  in  his  ministrations.  He  could  not  help  admiring 
the  splendid  courage  of  this  girl — the  brave  daughter 
of  a  brave  man.  When  he  had  satisfied  himself  that 
both  were  resting  he  stood  up  and  with  a  light  laugh, 
remarked :  "There  is  not  the  slightest  need  for  worry 
now!  We  have  any  amount  of  time — we  can  wait 
here  for  hours,  if  necessary.  Not  a  soul  will  dispute 
our  path  any  more ;  and  Papiu  will  have  no  difficulty  in 
guiding  us  down  even  after  dark." 

He  turned  and  paced  the  ledge  with  short  steps  The 
men  sat  removed,  rifles  in  hand,  eagerly  scanning  the 
downward  slope  and  the  distant  valley  all  about  them ; 
utter  quiet  reigned. 

A  scarce  half  hour  had  thus  passed  when  Helene, 
looking  up,  saw  that  Morton's  face  wore  an  anxious 
expression.  She  noted  that  he  was  consulting  his 
watch  and  glancing  frequently  and  impatiently  about 
him  with  an  evidently  carefully  suppressed  concern. 
She  dared  not  ask  any  questions,  and  besides,  she  was 
too  tired  and  worn  out  to  summon  the  necessary 
energy. 

Just  then  the  thrice-repeated  call  of  a  partridge  fol- 
lowed by  a  peculiar,  long-drawn  whistle,  broke  into 
the  dead  silence  of  the  desolate  fastness,  and  from  the 
left,  behind  some  gigantic  boulders,  Mihai  was  seen 
approaching  with  long  swinging  stride,  bearing  on  his 
back  two  stout  poles  and  what  looked  like  a  tent-cover. 
The  brothers  exchanged  a  few  whispered  words,  and 
Papiu  hastened  back  to  Mr.  Morton  and  reported  that 
his  orders  had  been  executed.  Mihai  had  not  encoun- 
tered any  guards  or  militia,  and  he  was  now  awaiting 
further  instructions.  They  were  on  the  right  path  and 
there  was  no  snow  to  speak  of  on  the  divide. 

John  went  forward  with  Papiu,  and  receiving  from 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       181 

Mihai  confirmation  of  Papiu's  statement,  he  hurried 
back  to  the  resting-  girls,  and  in  a  voice  of  renewed 
cheer,  said:  "Mihai's  report  is  most  satisfactory. 
LA.bout  a  thousand  feet  from  here  our  path  crosses  a 
road,  which  leads  from  the  state-chausse  toward  the 
western  country.  He  had  been  over  it  and  found 
neither  patrols  nor  any  signs  of  the  enemy.  And  here 
is  a  conveyance  which  will  mean  relief  to  you,  Your 
Highness." 

The  girls  turned  their  eyes  to  where  Morton  had 
pointed  and  saw  to  their  astonishment  that  what  they 
had  thought  were  tent  and  poles  had  been  unfolded  and 
converted  into  a  strongly  constructed  stretcher — a 
heavy  canvas  sheet  suspended  between  two  stout  bars. 

John  spread  a  rug  over  it,  and,  folding  another  for  a 
cushion  at  the  head,  led  the  Princess  to  it.  In  this  wise 
they  began  the  last  stage  of  their  ascent 

Mihai  took  the  lead,  rifle  in  the  crook  of  an  arm, 
his  older  brother  and  Donald  bore  the  crude  palankin ; 
and,  as  before,  Helena  and  Morton  brought  up  the 
rear. 

The  sun  was  now  nearing  the  western  slope,  the 
wind  had  died  down,  the  air  had  grown  colder,  but 
was  bracing  and  refreshing.  They  reached  the  cross- 
road so  dreaded  by  Morton,  advanced  over  it  for  some 
hundreds  of  paces,  and  then  once  more  Mihai  struck 
off  due  north — the  continuation  of  the  indistinctly 
marked  path  that  was  to  lead  them  to  safety. 

They  followed  this  difficult  road  for  a  considerable 
distance  silently,  every  man  observing  carefully  the 
place  in  which  his  predecessor  had  put  his  foot.  In 
this  manner  they  at  last  reached  a  rounded  plateau 
beyond  which  the  eye  saw  but  the  unobstructed  sky, 
clear  and  cloudless,  stretching  its  blue  vault  as  if  with 
a  benign  promise  of  freedom. 

From  time  to  time  Helene  had  stolen  a  glance  at 


182       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Morton,  who  untiring  and  ever  present  guided  her 
steps  and  aided  her  progress  by  silent  encouragement. 
She  noticed  that  his  face  had  gradually  cleared,  the 
eyes  had  lost  their  grim  expression,  the  deep  furrow 
between  the  brows  had  vanished,  and  his  step  seemed 
more  elastic  and  confident.  Catching  one  of  her  looks 
he  smiled  and  pointing  ahead  of  them,  said,  "There 
is  the  divide — the  boundary  line !" 

Helena's  head  swam  and  her  limbs  shook.  John 
sprung  to  her  support.  Timidly  glancing  up  at  him 
she  whispered,  "Are  you  sure?  You  are  not  saying 
that  just  to  cheer  me,  Mr.  Morton,  are  you?" 

"No,  Comtesse,  I  am  not.    Look  at  our  guide !" 

Mihai  had  stopped  upon  the  crest  of  the  saddlelike 
bare  expanse  of  smooth  rock  they  had  now  attained. 
He  had  lifted  his  cap  and  was  standing  grinning.  He 
was  pointing  straight  ahead — toward  the  hazy  deep 
green  valley  that  had  unfolded  itself  to  their  view. 

Morton  reluctantly  released  the  girl's  arm  and  hur- 
ried forward.  In  a  voice  in  which  he  could  not  hide 
his  deep  emotion  he  announced  to  Princess  Marie  that 
they  were  on  Transylvanian  soil.  A  quick,  happy  flush 
came  to  the  haggard  cheeks  and  glad  tears  filled  the 
soft  eyes.  Helene  stood  nearby,  her  bosom  heav- 
ing in  happy  sympathy  and  her  eyes  shining  brightly. 
Reverently  she  bent  and  kissed  her  companion's  cold 
wrist.  To  Morton  she  raised  a  look  of  mingled  grati- 
tude and  admiration,  the  tribute  of  a  thankful  heart 
that  gladly  acknowledged  noble  merit. 

The  red  ball  of  the  sinking  sun  threw  their  elongated 
shadows  grotesquely  on  the  rocks  gleaming  in  rosy 
reflection.  The  steep  parapets  of  the  deep  gorge  to 
their  left  was  lit  up,  showing  the  fiery  glinting  narrow 
ribbon  of  the  river.  Aluta,  winding  in  a  wide  sweeping 
curve  beneath  them.  To  their  right  stretched  forth 
and  loomed  overpoweringly  the  commanding  peak  of 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       183 

snow-capped  Negoi  against  the  delicate  gleam  of  the 
east.  And  straight  before  them  unrolled  hill  after  hill 
— slope  after  slope — the  welcome  sight  of  deep  ever- 
green, of  rustic  brown  and  sere  yellow,  the  purplish 
plowed  fields  and  darkening  meadows  spread  out  like  a 
checker-board.  A  needlelike  white  spire  and  little 
bright  red-capped  dots  of  houses  in  the  midst  told  of 
human  life,  of  comfort  and  safety. 

Mihai  had  stepped  aside  from  the  path  so  as  to 
allow  Papiu  and  Donald  to  put  down  the  stretcher  and 
permit  the  Princess  to  alight.  He  was  all  smiles  and 
bubbling  over  with  happiness. 

The  girls  stood  together  in  close  embrace  and  fol- 
lowed with  eager  looks  the  arm  of  their  guide,  who 
was  pointing  back  and  downward. 

"El  Tornu  Ros!" — and  they  beheld  the  deeply  cut 
"Red  Tower  Pass,"  the  connecting  link  between  the 
turbulent  Balkans  and  the  well-ordered  country  into 
which  at  last  they  had  entered,  opening  before  them 
like  a  wondrous  gate.  It  seemed  to  them  that  they  had 
conquered  fate. 

Morton,  quietly  exultant,  approached  Papiu  and 
shook  the  man's  rough  and  soiled  hand.  "You  have 
made  good,  and  you  are  all  true  and  brave  men.  I 
freely  acknowledge  your  fine  devotion,  your  quick  wit 
and  splendid  performance.  In  addition  to  the  agreed 
amount  each  of  you  will  receive  two  thousand  florins. 
I  shall  never  forget  your  services.  Tell  your  brother 
what  I  have  said,  and  I  shall  write  to  Father  Moskar 
at  the  earliest  opportunity." 

The  brothers  looked  proud  and  glad,  and  beamed 
sheepishly  at  each  other.  The  words  of  the  "gospo- 
dar"  had  made  them  happy — the  sum  they  had  gained 
meant  independence  to  them. 

John  left  the  men  to  talk  the  good  news  over  among 
themselves,  and  approached  the  two  girls,  who  were 


i84       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

now  resting1  against  a  boulder.  Cap  in  hand,  his  damp 
hair  straggling-  over  his  forehead,  he  looked  down  and 
suddenly  found  himself  shy  and  awkward.  The  jour- 
ney over  he  was  no  longer  their  guide.  These  ladies 
were  noble  women — and  one  a  Princess.  His  words 
came  stammeringly :  "Your  Highness — Comtesse  Ron- 
dell — all  danger  is  past " 

Helene  was  the  first  to  speak:  "Mr.  Morton,  we 
cannot  tell  you  how  much  we  feel  ourselves  beholden 
to  you.  I  hope  that  a  more  fitting  occasion  will  offer 
itself  to  express  our  deep  appreciation  and  gratitude 
for  the  service  you  have  rendered  us."  Her  words 
sounded  strained  to  his  ears ;  but  he  smiled  and  bowed. 
"The  Princess  feels  herself  strong  enough  to  walk," 
continued  the  Comtesse,  "we  are  ready  when  you  are." 
Morton  bowed  without  a  word  and  turned  to  the 
guides  with  orders. 

They  resumed  their  downward  march,  and  entered 
the  protecting  woods  of  pink-tipped  trees.  At  dusk 
they  reached  the  highway,  broad  and  smooth  in  gleam- 
ing gray,  silently  following  the  guides,  who  were 
laughing  and  chatting  with  careless  ease,  as  they 
munched  their  bread  and  cheese. 

Soon  they  came  to  a  neatly  gravelled  path  which  led 
to  a  low,  rambling  cottage  some  hundred  feet  back 
from  the  highway.  Here  they  stopped  and  Papiu  an- 
nounced that  their  journey's  end  had  been  reached. 

It  was  the  house  of  Toni  Brasic,  a  God-fearing  man 
and  the  husband  of  their  good  sister  Amuska.  The 
gracious  Gospodinas  and  Gospodar  Morton  would  be 
in  good  hands  here  and  very  welcome. 

A  loud  call  accompanied  by  the  growling  of  a  sheep 
dog  brought  to  the  door  a  strapping  young  woman, 
whom  the  brothers  greeted  with  sounding  smacks  as 
their  beloved  niece  Rossika,  and  who  was  told  to  hurry 
and  call  her  mother. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       185 

In  the  cheerfully  lighted  and  warm  room  the  girls 
sank  gratefully  into  stiff  tulip-painted  chairs  and  greed- 
ily drank  the  clear  cool  water  offered  them.  A  roaring 
fire  through  the  open  door  of  an  ovenlike  brick  stove 
lit  up  the  place  and  spread  comfort  all  around.  In  its 
warmth  the  girls  brightened  and  their  faces  shone  with 
happiness.  The  comely  stout  hostess  with  the  leathery 
weather-beaten  face  stood  looking  at  them  with  open 
mouth  and  adoration  in  her  eyes.  In  the  next  room 
could  be  heard  Rossika  busy  with  her  preparations  for 
the  supper,  and  in  a  few  minutes  she  rushed  in  with 
a  shy,  smiling  mien  to  inform  the  "Gospodinas"  that 
their  rooms  were  ready  for  them.  Here  they  found 
warm  water,  clean  linen  and  garments,  and  soft  red 
"saffian"  boots  for  their  tired  feet  The  girl  helped 
them,  blushing  and  shy  at  the  honor  of  serving  the 
noble  ladies. 

Dressed  at  last  in  their  hostess's  best  gowns,  which 
were  so  ample  as  to  envelop  them,  they  reappeared  in 
the  living  room,  where  they  were  immediately  joined 
by  the  men,  and  where  a  plentiful  repast  had  been 
spread.  The  natives  sat  at  one  end  of  the  long  table, 
close  together,  whispering  to  each  other  of  their  ad- 
ventures and  glorifying  their  deeds. 

At  the  upper  end  of  the  table  sat  the  two  girls,  their 
faces  flushed,  their  tired,  deep-sunken  eyes  sparkling 
in  wondering  happiness.  Morton  sat  opposite  them 
in  deep  thought 

The  Junolike  Rossika  flitted  from  chair  to  chair 
piling  goodies  upon  their  plates,  filling  their  glasses  and 
constantly  throwing  glances  of  intense  admiration  at 
the  girls.  How  different  they  were  from  the  girls  she 
knew.  They  were  Princesses  or  perhaps  Queens — 
beautiful  as  the  pictures  of  the  angels  in  lace-paper  bor- 
ders in  her  prayer  book. 

Supper  over,  everybody  expressed  themselves  as 
13 


1 86       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

being  too  tired  to  sit  up.  The  girls  withdrew  to  their 
rooms,  and  the  men  retired  to  the  kitchen  for  a  smoke 
and  a  talk  with  their  relatives.  Morton,  however,  re- 
mained to  consult  with  Don  about  the  program  for 
the  next  day.  Soon,  even  these  were  too  wearied  to 
stay  awake,  and  retired  to  their  beds. 

The  low-burning  night-lamp  was  placed  in  the 
chimney  corner,  and  the  house  locked  up  for  the  night. 
Peace  and  quiet  soon  reigned  in  the  house  where  our 
worn-out  travelers  had  found  their  well-earned  rest. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

MORTON'S  sleep  was  heavy  but  restless.  He 
had  thrown  himself  down,  glad  of  the  chance 
to  rest,  with  his  mind  still  busied  over  the 
day's  happenings,  and  doubting  if  he  had  done  right 
in  relying  on  his  host,  Toni,  to  keep  a  careful  watch 
during  the  night.  He  had  not  "sworn"  the  man,  so 
that  he  was  uncertain  if  the  fellow  would  keep  his 
word.  He  fell  asleep  with  the  question  and  he  awoke 
with  it.  It  had  kept  his  mind  working  even  in  his 
slumbers.  He  sat  up  quite  wide  awake  with  all  his 
faculties  keenly  alert.  The  sonorous  breathing  of  Don- 
ald jarred  on  his  ears.  In  the  distance  he  heard  the 
baying  of  a  hound.  Had  they  been  followed?  They 
were  but  a  little  wray  from  the  border,  and  a  quick 
raid  could  undo  all  that  had  been  done.  He  determined 
to  satisfy  himself  that  all  was  right. 

Dressing  hurriedly  he  seized  his  rifle  and  throwing 
a  rug  over  his  shoulders  slipped  out  of  the  room 
quietly,  withdrew  the  heavy  bolts  of  the  entrance  door 
and  locked  it  after  him.  It  was  a  beautiful  moonlight 
night.  As  he  stepped  into  the  open,  the  faithful  house 
dog  came  bounding  towards  him  and  licked  his  hand. 
Morton  stroked  the  animal's  head  affectionately  as  it 
followed  him  in  the  tour  he  made  round  the  house. 
As  he  had  suspected,  he  found  no  one  on  the  look-out. 
Toni  had,  evidently,  preferred  the  comforts  of  a  warm 
bed  to  breathing  the  cold  night  air. 

Well,  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  keep  watch 
himself.  He  found  a  wooden  bench  opposite  the  gar- 
den, and  wrapping  the  rug  about  him,  sat  down  with 

187 


1 88       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

his  rifle  across  his  knees.  The  stillness  and  the  glory 
of  the  night  soothed  his  tired  mind.  Now  and  again 
he  would  doze  off,  but  he  quickly  roused  himself. 
Once  again  he  thought  of  the  strange  adventure  of  the 
past  days.  If  anyone  had  told  him  a  month  ago 
that  he  would  be  acting  the  part  of  a  knight-errant 
he  would  have  laughed  in  scorn.  That  he  of  all  men 
should  have  done  this  thing! 

He  could  not  help  smiling  at  the  situation  in  which 
he  now  found  himself.  And  yet — why  not?  Would 
he  be  deserving  the  name  of  a  man  if  he  had  left  these 
two  helpless  creatures  to  their  fate  ?  Two — nay,  one ! 
And  his  heart  filled  with  tenderness  as  he  thought  of 
Helene — the  beautiful  child-woman;  so  lovely  a  being, 
so  lovable  a  girl,  so  noble  a  woman.  How  brave  she 
had  been ;  how  splendid  in  her  self-sacrificing  devotion 
to  her  friend,  the  Princess !  Surely,  there  was  no  other 
like  her  in  this  wide  world ! 

What  did  it  mean  ?  Was  this  love  ?  If  it  was,  then, 
certainly  it  had  been  love  at  first  sight.  Strange  that 
he,  the  practical  man  of  the  world,  should  have  so  eas- 
ily succumbed  to  this  mysterious  power !  What  would 
his  father  have  said  to  him  ? 

The  question  was  but  a  natural  one,  but  he  did  not 
know  that  however  experienced  and  worldly-wise  a 
man  may  be,  the  heart  of  him  ages  less  than  does  the 
mind.  And  he  had  kept  his  heart  pure  in  spite  of  the 
world  of  business  in  which  his  father  lived.  To  the 
young  and  pure  in  heart  Love  is  the  one  power  which 
must  be  obeyed;  for  that  is  nature's  wonderful  way 
of  preserving  her  own.  That  is  the  meaning  of 
woman.  Strive  as  we  will  in  our  efforts  to  escape,  un- 
less some  ignoble  passion  such  as  the  craving  for  gold 
or  power  deadens  the  soul  within  us,  we  must  serve 
God ;  and  we  can  only  serve  him  through  Love. 

Morton  had  taken  Helene's  photograph  out  of  his 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       189 

pocket  and  was  gazing  raptly  at  the  face  in  the  moon- 
light that  shone  fully  where  he  was  sitting.  Should  he 
speak  to  her  in  the  morning — the  last  day  before  they 
parted?  No — he  could  not  take  the  advantage  her 
helplessness  gave  him.  He  must  wait  until  she  was 
free  to  think  and  decide — free  of  the  sense  of  obliga- 
tion which  she  might  now  feel. 

Replacing  the  photograph  he  rose  from  the  bench, 
and  looking  at  his  watch  found  that  it  was  still  three 
hours  before  the  dawn.  He  let  himself  in  the  house 
and  tried  the  chimney  seat.  But  he  was  restless — he 
was  too  far  from  where  the  girls  were  sleeping.  It 
would  be  better  if  he  lay  down  in  the  room  adjoining 
theirs.  He  found  the  place  empty  of  any  couch  or 
bed,  but  spreading  his  rug  on  the  floor  he  used  his  coat 
as  a  pillow  and  was  soon  at  peace  in  what  the  Easterns 
call  "the  outer  court  of  the  Seven  Heavens" — the  deep 
sleep  of  tired  limbs  and  a  clear  conscience. 

Helene  and  the  Princess  had  enjoyed  the  evening 
fully.  Before  retiring  to  bed  they  had  exchanged 
glad  expressions  at  this  happy  issue  out  of  their  afflic- 
tions. Their  hearts  were  full  to  overflowing  with 
gratitude  towards  their  deliverer.  They  realized  now 
fully  what  Mr.  Morton  had  done  for  them,  and  could 
find  no  words  in  which  sufficiently  to  express  their 
feelings.  The  Princess  began  to  quiz  Helene  about 
him,  but  by  that  time  the  two  were  in  bed  and  the  light 
lowered,  and  Helene  was  glad  of  the  darkness.  She 
managed,  however,  to  reply  to  her  friend's  remarks 
in  a  voice  of  cold  indifference.  She  thought  him  rather 
curt  and  domineering  she  said.  The  Princess  laughed 
quietly  and  told  Helene  to  go  to  sleep  and  dream  of 
knights  of  old. 

Helene  said  nothing  and  pretended  to  go  to  sleep. 
It  was  long,  however,  before  she  did  sleep.  When  she 
awoke,  after  what  seemed  to  her  but  a  few  minutes 


190       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

later,  she  heard  a  cock  crowing  lustily  outside.  In  the 
low  light  of  the  lamp  her  watch  told  her  that  it  would 
soon  be  daybreak  and  time  to  begin  making  prepara- 
tions for  continuing  their  journey.  Mr.  Morton  would 
be  punctual,  she  was  sure.  She  would  get  up  and  dress 
now. 

Throwing  aside  the  voluminous  quilts  she  stepped 
out  of  bed,  though  not  without  some  pain,  for  her 
limbs  were  still  sore  and  aching  from  the  previous 
day's  exertions,  and  in  a  few  minutes  had  clothed  her- 
self in  the  garments  of  the  stout  Rossika. 

Stepping  softly  so  as  not  awaken  her  companion,  she 
left  the  room,  walked  into  the  outer  room  in  which 
Morton  lay,  and  stood  looking  through  the  window. 
In  the  darkness  behind  her  Morton,  who  slept  lightly, 
had  heard  her  soft  footsteps.  He  looked  up  from 
where  he  lay  and  saw  her  head  and  slender  neck  sil- 
houetted against  the  lattice-work  of  the  window.  He 
could  but  faintly  distinguish  her  outline,  but,  faint 
as  it  was,  it  was  enough  to  cause  his  heart  to  leap  to 
his  throat  and  a  wave  of  exquisite  emotion  to  surge 
over  him. 

Quickly  rising  he  put  on  his  coat  and,  before  Helene 
had  become  aware  of  his  presence,  he  was  by  her  side. 

"Is  that  you,  Comtesse  ?"  he  whispered. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Morton,  I — I  hope  I  didn't  disturb  you. 
I  am  so  sorry.  I  was  not  aware  that  anyone  was  up 
yet " 

"I  am  afraid  I  frightened  you,  Comtesse.  I  have 
been  around  the  house  and  found  that  our  host  has  been 
remiss  in  his  duty.  Instead  of  watching  he  is  sound 
asleep  in  his  bed.  Have  you  had  a  good  rest?  I  see 
you  are  all  prepared." 

"Oh,  yes,  I  feel  splendidly  and  I — I  am  so  happy. 
But,  please,  Mr.  Morton,  go  back  to  your  sleep.  You 
must  be  very  tired.  I'll  go  to  my  room." 


UNDER    THE     BIG    DIPPER       191 

"Don't  go,  Comtesse.  The  day  will  be  breaking  soon 
and  we  shall  have  to  make  ready  for  our  next  stage. 
Besides — I — am  glad  of  this  opportunity  to  be  alone 
with  you." 

The  mist  was  clearing  and  above  the  dark  timber  a 
golden  expanse  was  heralding  the  coming  of  the  life- 
giving  sun.  Small,  fleecy  clouds  of  amethystine  hues 
floated  above  the  snow-clad  tops  of  the  Divide,  now 
flushing  rose.  They  seemed  like  flower  petals  that  had 
been  blown  across  the  sky.  In  the  bare  autumnal 
garden  the  last  flowers,  slender  feathery  stalks  of 
cosmos,  stood  greeting  the  dawn  in  colors  matching  the 
coming  glory  and  tiny  dew-drops  reflected  the  golden 
sheen  as  they  glinted  on  leaves  and  petals  trembling  in 
the  morning's  breeze. 

Helene's  eyes  sought  the  distant  enchantment,  not 
daring  to  look  at  the  man  who  had  now  approached 
her  so  closely  that  he  almost  touched  her.  She  felt 
her  hand  being  taken  in  a  gentle  grasp.  Her  heart  beat 
fast;  she  could  feel  the  pulse  beat  in  her  throat. 

"Comtesse,"  and  Morton's  voice  was  very  tender, 
"the  few  days  of  our  common  purpose,  the  hardships 
that  brought  us  together,  are  now  ended.  To-morrow 
you  will  be  in  Vienna  and  with  your  friends.  You  will, 
I  hope,  soon  forget  the  trials  you  have  endured,  the 
days  of  anxiety  in  which  I  have  come  to  know  you. 
To  me  they  will  remain  ever  unforgettable.  You  have 
your  way  to  go  and  I  mine — duties  await  you  as  they 
do  me.  May  I  hope  that  we  shall  meet  again?" 

Helene  knew  not  what  to  say.  Her  hand  trembled 
in  his  and  her  head  was  bent  away  from  his  ardent 
gaze.  She  felt  his  eyes  though  she  could  not  see  them. 

"Comtesse,  may  I  ask  you  to  think  of  me  as  your 
friend?  I  shall  come  back  in  this  part  of  the  world 
soon,  and  if  I  knew  the  door  of  your  friendship  would 
still  be  open  for  me  it  would  make  me  very  happy." 


192       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Helena  had  raised  her  head  and  was  now  gazing  at 
the  ever  brightening  horizon. 

"Mr.  Morton — the  Princess  and  I  owe  you  our 
freedom,  our  honor  and,  perhaps,  our  lives.  Not  only 
my  friendship  but  my  eternal  gratitude  is  yours." 

She  found  courage  to  turn  and  look  at  him,  but 
quickly  looked  away  again. 

"Comtesse,  it  is  not  gratitude  I  care  for.  Will  you 
do  me  a  favor — will  you  make  me  a  promise?" 

Helene  looked  at  him  with  wide,  questioning  eyes. 

"I  want  you  to  tell  me — that  you  will  take  no  impor- 
tant step  in  the  near  future  until  I  see  you  again. 
Promise  me  that  you  will  call  on  me  if  you  need  help? 
Will  you  do  this,  for  me,  Comtesse?" 

The  deep,  resonant  tones  in  which  he  uttered  these 
words  swept  over  her  like  the  music  from  a  fine- 
stringed  instrument.  It  brought  from  her  responsive 
chords  which  found  expression  in  involuntary  sighs. 
She  felt  a  curious  pride  and  realized  that  she  was  happy 
and  inexplicably  glad  to  obey  when  that  voice  com- 
manded. 

"I  promise,"  she  whispered.  Then  her  voice  gather- 
ing strength  she  went  on:  "I  do  not  know  why  you 
should  value  the  friendship  of  an  inexperienced  girl, 
but  I  am  proud  that  you  ask  for  it." 

Reverently  Morton  bowed  over  the  little  hand  he 
had  been  holding,  afraid  to  trust  his  eyes  to  look  at 
her  face,  and  kissing  it  softly,  released  it. 

"Thank  you — and  God  bless  you." 

Gathering  up  his  rug  and  rifle  he  hurriedly  left  the 
room.  Helene  remained  motionless  for  a  time,  then 
she  slowly  turned  to  the  window,  on  her  lips  a  happy 
smile  and  in  her  eyes  a  new  lustre.  The  first  rays  of 
the  now  risen  sun  shot  through  the  serrated  tops  of 
the  forest  and  found  their  straight  paths  into  the  em- 
brasure of  the  window,  casting  a  wondrous  light  on, 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       193 

her  dreamy  face.  Her  heart  felt  light  as  thistledown. 
She  saw  the  flowers  opening — how  beautiful  they 
were !  Unconsciously  her  eyes  fell  upon  the  hand  he 
had  held — she  still  felt  the  lingering  imprint  of  his 
lips  on  it,  and  her  face  took  on  a  color  that  rivalled 
the  rosy  tints  of  the  dawn.  The  great  secret  of  nature 
had  been  imparted  to  her.  She  could  not  speak  of  it  in 
words,  even  to  herself,  for  the  power  of  it  had  over- 
come her.  Instead,  her  hands  mutely  unfolded  like  a 
flower  opening  under  the  morning's  sunlight,  and  her 
face  shone  as  if  transfigured. 


CHAPTER   XV 

BREAKFAST  that  morning  was,  indeed,  a  seri- 
ous business.  Everybody  was  ravenously 
hungry.  They  knew  that  it  would  be  some 
hours  before  they  could  partake  of  the  next  meal. 
Even  the  Princess  and  Helene  did  justice  to  the  food 
which  their  host  had  provided  with  true  rustic  gener- 
osity. Papiu  and  Mihai,  whom  Morton  had  paid  ac- 
cording to  his  promise,  were  talking  over  their  riches 
with  their  relatives.  They  had  also  been  presented 
with  the  rifles  and  equipment  used  on  the  journey. 
They  were  discussing  Morton  in  awed  tones,  as  if  he 
were  some  being  of  a  superior  world.  And  Toni,  him- 
self, had  occasion  to  agree  with  them,  for  both  he  and 
his  family  had  likewise  been  very  liberally  dealt  with. 

The  party  that  gathered  around  the  carriage  in  which 
the  two  gently-bred  ladies  were  seated,  waiting  for  the 
signal  to  start  was,  therefore,  a  happy  if  a  noisily  hilari- 
ous one.  Chatterings  as  of  magpies  and  greetings 
in  Roumelian  and  German  came  from  all  sides.  Ross- 
ika  especially  was  everywhere  in  evidence ;  for  had  not 
the  Gospodinas  worn  her  clothes?  She  ran  about 
smiling  and  nodding  and  advising  with  heightened 
color  and  heavy  tread,  as  if  the  very  lives  of  the  ladies 
depended  on  her  final  ministrations.  At  last  Papiu, 
his  face  all  wreathed  in  smiles,  ascended  the  driver's 
seat,  and  amid  loud  exclamations  of  thanks  and  adieus 
he  cracked  his  whip  and  the  carriage  rolled  away,  fol- 
lowed by  Morton  and  Donald  in  a  low  dray. 

The  drive  to  the  railway  station  was  a  pleasant  one, 
though  a  longer  route  was  taken  at  Morton's  orders, 

194 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       195 

to  avoid  a  possible  meeting  with  soldiers  from  the 
border.  During  the  slow  drive,  it  occurred  to  both 
the  Princess  and  Helene  that  their  old  friend  the  can- 
vas-covered wagon  had  disappeared.  They  wondered 
what  had  become  of  it.  Helene  questioned  Papiu. 

The  wagon?  Oh,  yes — the  wagon  had  been  de- 
stroyed. Gospodar  Morton — what  a  leader  of  great 
wisdom  he  was! — Gospodar  Morton  had  sent  Mihai 
away  in  it  to  deceive  the  soldiers  who  had  been  fol- 
lowing them.  He  was  to  send  the  wagon  over  a  ravine 
after  he  had  set  the  horses  free  to  roam  in  the  woods. 

Had  they  really  been  followed  by  soldiers  ?  Oh,  yes ! 
Papiu,  by  this  time,  had  quite  forgotten  that  he  had 
been  ordered  to  say  nothing  to  the  ladies  about  the 
matter.  Yes,  Mihai  had  seen  them — "duke  drag" 
(devil  take  them).  One  of  the  six  fellows  had  es- 
caped their  rifles,  for  he  had  evidently  brought  assis- 
tance, and  the  whole  crew  had  been  after  them.  But 
the  wagon's  tracks  to  the  ravine  had  done  the  trick. 
Ha !  ha !  ha !  That  Gospodar  Morton  was  some  leader ! 

Helene  and  the  Princess  said  not  a  word.  This  then 
was  the  explanation  for  Morton's  strange  behavior  at 
the  time.  Then  there  had  been  fighting  and  killing! 
What  an  escape ! 

When  they  alighted  at  the  railway  station  both  the 
girls  were  very  quiet ;  but  Morton  was  too  busily  occu- 
pied to  notice  the  change.  He  monopolized  the  little 
telegraph  office  for  so  long  a  time  that  the  operator 
in  charge  of  the  place  thought  the  foreigner  must  be 
some  government  official  or  one  of  those  newspaper 
correspondents  who  were  everywhere.  By  the  time  the 
train  for  Hermanstadt  drew  in  Morton  had  sent  off 
all  his  messages.  Within  the  hour  they  were  in  Her- 
manstadt, the  first  real  town  they  had  seen  since  leav- 
ing Padina,  a  city  of  early  Saxon  character  and  enter- 
prise. 


196       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

As  the  train  for  Vienna  was  not  due  for  two  Hours, 
Morton  drove  the  girls  in  a  droshky  and  left  them  in 
the  rehabilitating  hands  of  the  head  of  the  best  out- 
fitting establishment  the  town  possessed.  He  then  took 
the  occasion  to  see  to  his  own  person,  and  make  some 
purchases  which  he  knew  would  be  welcomed  by  the 
ladies  on  the  long  journey  before  them.  When  he  met 
them  again  at  the  station  they  hardly  knew  each  other. 
What  a  difference  clothes  make ! 

Morton  had  been  careful  to  secure  a  private  com- 
partment for  the  ladies  so  that  they  might  obtain  the 
rest  of  which  they  were  in  real  need;  and  when  he  had 
seen  them  comfortably  placed  in  their  seats,  he  joined 
Donald  in  an  adjoining  compartment  of  the  same  car. 

The  long  ride  was  uneventful,  except  for  the  usual 
bustle  at  the  stopping  places  and  the  interest  which 
this  aroused.  It  was  at  one  of  these  that  the  Princess 
procured  a  newspaper.  She  was  eager  to  learn  of  what 
had  happened  since  she  had  left  Padina,  and  anxiously 
scanned  the  columns  for  news  of  her  country.  Sud- 
denly, she  uttered  a  loud  exclamation  of  distress,  and 
Helene,  startled,  saw  her  lean  back  and  point  to  the 
sheet  lying  spread  in  her  lap. 

Read  this,  Helene,"  she  cried,  pointing  to  the  head- 
line :  "News  from  Roumelia."  Helene  took  the  paper 
and  read: 

"From  Sophia,  under  date  October  — ,  we  received 
the  following  communication,  which  evidently  escaped 
the  strict  censorship.  The  Divane  met  on  Saturday, 
October  — ,  and  was  attended  by  a  majority  of  the 
members.  The  meeting,  presided  over  by  Demeter 
Sturdza,  was  one  of  intense  excitement  throughout. 
M.  Flava,  after  making  an  impassioned  address,  moved 
a  resolution  demanding  the  expulsion  of  all  the  re- 
maining officials  of  the  old  regime,  unless  they  took  the 
oath  of  the  new  constitution.  It  asked  that  the  mem- 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       197 

bers  of  the  royal  family  be  placed  under  arrest  and 
tried  under  the  laws  as  administered  by  the  Triumvi- 
rate. The  resolution  also  called  for  plenary  authority 
for  himself  and  his  two  colleagues,  MM.  Balescu  and 
Calorasi.  It  was  carried  by  virtually  the  unanimous 
vote  of  the  assembly,  and  President  Sturdza  was  com- 
pelled to  sign  the  warrants  presented.  Great  excite- 
ment still  prevails  in  the  capital. 

"Reports  from  Padina,  so  far  unconfirmed,  state 
that  the  Princess  Marie-Louise  has  disappeared  with 
the  Comtesse  Rondell,  her  lady-in-waiting.  It  is  said 
that  the  disappearance  of  the  two  ladies  was  connected 
with  the  arrival  of  a  party  of  some  forty  foreigners, 
who  came  to  Padina  ostensibly  on  a  prospecting  visit 
to  oil-lands  and  for  the  purchase  of  horses.  These 
people  bought  a  number  of  blood  animals  and  dis- 
bursed fabulous  sums  of  money  in  other  directions. 
The  strangers  had  left  Padina  on  the  very  Sunday  on 
which  the  absence  of  the  Princess  was  discovered.  The 
borders  are  being  closely  guarded,  and  no  one  is  per- 
mitted to  leave  the  country  without  a  passport  from 
the  Committee  of  Safety. 

"A  reward  has  been  offered  for  the  capture  of  the 

Princess,  dead  or  alive.  Colonel  A ,  commanding 

at  Padina,  has  been  arrested,  and  the  Mayor  and  Chief 
of  Police  of  the  town  have  been  suspended.  They  are 
suspected  of  being  implicated  in  the  plot  for  the  ab- 
duction of  the  ladies. 

"The  Bulgarian  government  has  ordered  the  mobil- 
ization of  the  Third  and  Fifth  Divisions  of  the  army. 
The  Roumelian  garrison  along  all  the  borders  has  been 
strengthened.  All  officers  suspected  of  royalist  ten- 
dencies have  been  imprisoned.  The  country  is  again 
under  martial  law." 

Helene  turned  deathly  pale  as  she  came  to  the  last 
words.  She  looked  at  the  Princess  and  found  her 


198       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

leaning  against  the  window  her  head  bowed  on  her 
arms. 

"Oh,  my  darling,"  she  cried  sobbingly,  embracing 
her  friend,  "what  would  have  become  of  you  had  you 
remained  in  Padina?  What  has  become  of  all  our 
friends?" 

"God  alone  knows,"  murmured  the  Princess.  "We 
should  have  shared  their  fates  if  Mr.  Morton  had  not 
come  to  us  when  he  did.  I  cannot  forgive  myself." 

They  comforted  each  other  and  found  relief  in  tears. 
But  they  were  free — free — free — and  their  hearts 
filled  with  gratitude  for  the  kind  fate  that  had  sent 
Morton  to  them. 

"We  owe  that  to  your  father,  the  Count,"  said  the 
Princess ;  "he  had  the  foresight  to  know  and  the  cour- 
age to  act.  Without  him  and  Mr.  Morton  we  should 
certainly  have  perished." 

They  were  glad  they  were  alone,  and  when  the  at- 
tendant came  to  tell  them  that  their  sleeping  berths 
were  ready,  they  lay  down  with  thankful  prayers  in 
their  hearts  and  on  their  lips.  God  had  been  good  to 
them — the  poor,  helpless,  defenseless  girls ! 

The  early  forenoon  of  the  succeeding  day  saw  the 
train  glide  slowly  into  the  brightly  lit  and  imposing 
terminal  at  Vienna.  It  had  scarcely  come  to  a  stop 
when  Morton  appeared  at  the  door  of  the  compartment 
with  a  tall  and  distinguished  gentleman,  who  was  in- 
troduced as  Mr.  Tyler,  the  American  Minister  to  Ger- 
many. He  told  the  ladies  that  Mr.  Tyler  would  see 
them  to  their  hotel  and  look  after  them.  He  himself 
had  much  to  do  and  with  very  little  time  in  which  to 
do  it.  He  was  leaving  for  England  that  very  after- 
noon. He  promised  to  call  on  them  later  at  the  hotel. 

With  a  courtesy  that  is  now,  alas,  rarer  than  it  once 
was,  Mr.  Tyler  placed  himself  at  the  entire  disposal 
of  the  Princess  and  Helene.  They  soon  realized  that 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       199 

there  were  gentlemen  in  America  as  well  as  in  Europe. 
He  drove  with  them  to  the  "Bristol,"  where  they  were 
already  expected.  Morton  had  telegraphed  for  rooms 
from  Hermanstadt.  Here  maids  were  assigned  to 
them,  and  their  every  requirement  attended  to,  while 
Mr.  Tyler  waited  for  them  in  the  foyer.  He  had  been 
requested  by  Morton  to  take  them  around  the  shops 
and  see  that  they  were  amply  supplied  with  everything 
they  might  need,  so  that  when  they  came  down  to  him 
he  was  ready  for  them.  He  acquitted  himself  admir- 
ably, and  the  girls  enjoyed  their  shopping  to  the  full, 
as  only  girls  can.  On  their  return  to  the  hotel,  they 
found  a  telegram  from  Brindisi,  which  had  been 
opened  and  sent  on  by  Morton,  instructing  them  to 
carry  out  the  original  program  laid  out  for  them,  and 
to  travel  by  quickest  route  to  Weimar,  where  they  were 
expected,  and  where  they  would  be  well  taken  care  of. 
Helene  breathed  a  sigh  of  great  relief.  The  telegram 
must  be  from  her  father.  Then  he  was  alive,  and, 
therefore,  well.  God  be  thanked! 

When  Morton  called  to  make  his  adieux,  he  was  an 
altogether  changed  man.  The  Princess,  who  saw  him 
first,  scarcely  recognized  in  the  elegantly  dressed  and 
formally  polite  gentleman  before  her,  the  rough  leader 
of  the  men  of  Padina.  Her  first  impulse  was  to  re- 
turn his  formality  with  a  like  show  of  dignity;  but  her 
heart  was  too  full.  Approaching  him  with  outstretched 
hand,  she  said  in  a  voice  drowned  with  emotion : 

"I  cannot  thank  you,  Mr.  Morton,  for  all  that  you 
have  done.  I  may  never  forget  it.  But  you  will,  I 
know,  understand  my  feelings.  I  am  deeply,  heartfully 
grateful." 

Morton  smiled  and  bowed:  "Your  Highness,  you 
over-estimate  my  poor  services.  I  have  been  honored 
in  your  trust.  I  shall  carry  with  me  to  my  own  coun- 
try the  beautiful  memory  of  a  noble  lady." 


200       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

She  extended  her  hand  to  him,  and  as  he  bowed  over 
it  and  kissed  it  softly,  she  said : 

"I  hope  I  may  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  at 
Weimar,  Mr.  Morton.  I  shall  be  proud  to  make  you 
known  to  my  people." 

Morton  thanked  her  and  bowed  himself  out.  He 
was  glad  that  parting  was  over  when  he  was  again  in 
the  little  salon.  It  was  the  other  parting  which  he  now 
awaited  that  filled  him  with  emotion  and  fear.  He 
walked  to  and  fro  with  quick,  nervous  steps,  thinking 
of  what  he  should  say  when  he  saw  her.  He  wished 
it  were  over  so  that  he  might  get  away — the  sooner 
he  went  the  sooner  he  could  come  back.  As  he  had 
begun,  so  he  would  finish.  He  had  engaged  himself  in 
a  dangerous  enterprise  for  Helene's  sake,  moved  to  it 
by  a  mere  face  in  a  picture ;  but  now  that  he  had  seen 
and  come  to  know  her  very  self,  his  whole  being  clam- 
ored for  her  love.  Nothing  should  come  between  her 
and  him,  once  he  was  assured  of  his  father's  health. 
If  only  he  could  wait  until  he  had  fulfilled  his  duties 
to  his  dear  ones  at  home!  Ah,  then,  he  would  come 
back  on  wings  and  claim  her,  if — if — she  would  have 
it  so.  God  grant  that  he  had  found  favor  in  her  eyes ! 

He  was  interrupted  in  his  impassioned  thinking  by 
the  opening  of  the  door.  It  was  the  maid  who  had 
come  to  tell  him  that  the  Comtesse  Rondell  would  be 
pleased  to  see  him.  With  considerable  trepidation 
and  many  misgivings  he  entered  the  apartment.  The 
scent  of  flowers  were  wafted  sweetly  to  his  nostrils — 
he  recognized  it  as  the  scent  of  the  flowers  he  had  sent 
her  a  little  while  ago,  and  his  heart  beat  again.  He 
saw  them  in  a  tall  vase  on  a  table  near  the  window, 
and  the  sight  of  them  deepened  the  turmoil  within  him. 
It  was  as  if  he  had  met  his  self-confessed  self. 

The  soft  frou-frou  of  silken  skirts  on  carpet  rustled 
and  Helene  stood  before  him  in  all  the  glory  of  her 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       201 

heightened  beauty.  She  was  dressed  very  simply  in 
silver  gray,  but  the  rose  color  in  her  cheeks  gave  the 
contrast  and  drew  his  charmed  gaze  to  the  shining  eyes 
that  looked  at  him  as  if  they  were  the  windows  of  her 
noble  spirit. 

Morton  stood  gazing  at  the  vision,  spell-bound.  He 
drank  in  the  sweetness  and  the  light  of  it  as  if  these 
were  the  one  food  he  craved.  With  a  bewitching  smile 
she  moved  towards  him  conveying  a  pretty  greeting 
with  the  gesture  of  her  outstretched  hand.  "Thank 
you,  Mr.  Morton,  for  the  lovely  flowers.  You  are 
too  kind.  But  how  changed  you  are !  Yesterday,  you 
were  the  knight  of  old  in  armor,  now  you  look  like  a 
gallant  of  the  Ringstrasse." 

The  girl  was  excited  and  felt  an  unaccountable  shy- 
ness before  him.  She  was  trying  to  hide  her  embar- 
rassment with  an  attempt  at  badinage.  Morton 
sensed  her  feelings  and  tried  to  help  her  by  smiling, 
but  he  could  find  no  words.  Instinctively  she  saw  what 
was  the  matter  with  him,  and  with  womanly  quickness 
she  changed  the  subject. 

"Have  you  heard  from  papa  ?" 

The  important  question  brought  Morton  to  himself 
again.  He  seized  it  gratefully.  "Only  the  message  I 
transmitted  to  you  advising  your  early  departure  for 
Weimar — nothing  more.  I  have  arranged  that  Mr. 
Tyler  accompany  you  to  Weimar." 

"Ah,  yes- — I  forgot ;  you  are  leaving  us."  The  rose 
in  her  cheeks  had  faded  slowly  and  left  the  color  of 
the  lily  behind,  imparting  a  new  beauty  to  the  sweet- 
ness of  the  childlike  face.  Her  long  dark  lashes  had 
drooped  and  were  quivering  on  the  satin  of  her  skin-. 
He  dared  not  look  longer  or  he  would  forget  himself. 
And  time  was  pressing.  He  must  be  gone;  but  he 
must  say  just  one  word  more  before  he  left  her. 

"Comtesse,  I  am  come  to  remind  you  of  your  promise 
14 


202       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

given  me  at  our  last  conversation  together.  You  will 
not  forget,  will  you,  to  call  on  me  if  you  need  help? 
I  want  to  remain  your  friend,  if  you  will  permit  me. 
This  is  my  card;  it  will  tell  you  where  you  can  reach 
me  at  any  time.  Send  me  word  and  I  will  come.  And 
here  also  is  a  package  from  your  father.  It  contains 
such  funds  as  you  will  need  until  Count  Rondell  joins 
you  at  Weimar." 

Helena  took  the  card  and  package  and  laid  them  list- 
lessly on  the  table  on  which  stood  the  vase  of  flowers. 
An  unknown  fear  had  suddenly  taken  possession  of 
her;  she  experienced  a  dread  of  dangers  yet  to  come, 
and  knew  not  how  to  account  for  it.  Her  father — 
what  of  him?  Would  she  ever  see  him  again?  And 
this  gentleman — would  she  ever  meet  him  again? 
Morton's  voice  came  to  her  as  if  from  a  long  way  off. 

"Dear  lady,  I  have  nothing  more  to  say,  except  that 
I  must  tell  you  that  my  meeting  you  has  been  a  great 
pleasure  to  me.  I  am  leaving  to  return  to  my  own 
people  whom  I  have  not  seen  in  two  years,  and  who 
are  anxiously  waiting  for  me.  But  I  leave  with  the 
determination  fixed  to  come  back.  May  I  hope — that 
you  will  be  glad  to  see  me  when " 

He  hesitated,  not  daring  to  say  more.  Helene  had 
kept  her  eyes  lowered,  and  at  the  pause  she  raised 
them  to  his  face.  What  she  saw  there  caused  her  to 
step  back  involuntarily  and  to  speak  quickly  in  low 
but  impressive  tones: 

"Mr.  Morton,  I  shall  pray  that  you  find  your  dear 
ones  at  home  all  well.  When  next  you  come  to  Europe 
you  will  find  no  heartier  welcome  than  we  shall  extend 
to  you  at  Weimar — papa,  the  Princess  and  myself." 
Then  looking  him  bravely  full  in  the  face,  she  added : 
"And  I  promise  you  that  if  ever  I  am  in  need  of  a 
friend,  I  shall  turn  to  you." 

Morton  drew  nearer  to  her,  breathing  in  the  faint 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       203 

odor  of  roses  which  exhaled  from  her.  He  took  the 
hand  she  had  unconsciously  stretched  towards  him,  and 
bending  over  it  touched  it  softly  with  his  cold  lips. 

"Thank  you.  Good-bye,  dear  lady,  till  we  meet 
again." 

"Au  revoir,  Mr.  Morton." 

She  allowed  her  hand  to  remain  in  his,  and  with  the 
other  drew  a  little  rosebud  from  among  its  sisters  on 
her  breast  and  offered  it  to  him. 

"This,"  she  said,  smiling  saucily,  "is  for  our  Bayard 
— le  preux  chevalier  sans  peur  et  sans  reproche." 

Morton  took  the  flower  reverently — "I  shall  keep  it 
in  memory  of  the  honor  you  have  conferred  on  me," 
he  said.  "Au  revoir,  Comtesse — May  God  bless  you 
and  guard  you." 

He  bowed  once  more  and  kissed  her  hand  again. 
Then  letting  it  gently  slip  from  his  hold  he  turned  to 
the  door. 

"Auf  wiedersehen,  Mr.  Morton — and  my  deepest 
gratitude  goes  with  you." 

He  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  then  quickly  walked 
out  of  the  room. 

As  he  descended  the  stairs  sweet  strains  of  music 
reached  him  from  the  band  playing  in  the  dining-room. 
They  came  to  him  as  a  fitting  accompaniment  to  her 
parting  words,  lingering  in  his  memory.  When  Mr. 
Tyler  met  his  friend  in  the  foyer  he  saw  a  face  trans- 
figured in  a  new  light  and  wearing  a  smile  of  ineffable 
happiness. 

Tyler  was  a  man  of  the  world  and  drew  his  own 
conclusions.  Ah — the  old,  old  story!  Well,  he 
thought,  good  luck  to  you,  my  boy;  but  aloud  he  re- 
marked to  Morton  that  they  had  but  very  little  time  in 
which  to  catch  the  Ostend  Express. 

END  OF  COOK  ONE 


BOOK    II 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE  express  for  Ostend  was  punctual  to  the 
minute,  and  John  ensconced  himself  in  the 
luxurious  seat  of  his  compartment,  glad  to 
be  alone  with  his  thoughts,  alone  for  the  first  time 
in  many  weeks.  As  he  took  a  mental  survey  of  what 
had  happened  in  the  past  three  weeks,  it  seemed  to 
him  as  if  he  had  lately  lost  his  identity.  Instead  of 
John  Randolph  Morton,  he  had  been  some  soldier  of 
fortune.  It  was  indeed  time  he  came  back  to  himself, 
for  the  latest  advice  from  home  had  been  very  disquiet- 
ing. His  father  had  been  badly  shaken  in  an  elevator 
accident  and,  although  no  bones  were  broken,  yet 
coming  on  a  previous  illness,  his  condition  might,  any 
day,  be  serious. 

He  blamed  himself  for  his  absence,  thinking  that 
the  accident,  perhaps,  might  not  have  occurred  had 
he  gone  with  his  father  on  that  trip  to  the  western 
mines.  Then  he  remembered  that  it  would  have  been 
impossible  for  him  to  get  to  New  York  from  Brindisi 
until  three  days  after  the  accident,  and  felt  relieved. 

Brindisi  ?  Ah,  yes —  Where  was  the  Count  ?  He 
was  afraid  the  old  man  was  no  better  or  he  would 
have  sent  word.  "I  shall  not  see  you  again,  my 
son,"  he  had  said  on  parting.  Were  the  words  to  be 
prophetic?  If  he  should  die,  what  would  become  of 
Helene?  Who  would  take  care  of  her?  Who  will 
take  care  of  her?  He  repeated  the  question  so  often 
that  he  suddenly  found  the  clicking  of  the  train's 
wheels  over  the  rail-joints  keeping  time  to  them. 

205 


206       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Who  will  take  care  of  her?  Who  will  take  care  of 
her?  It  was  as  if  they  were  reminding  him  of  the 
greater  duty  he  had  left  unfulfilled — the  duty  he  owed 
to  his  own  heart's  promptings. 

Why  had  he  not  taken  her  with  him?  She  would 
have  been  so  tenderly  cared  for  by  his  mother  and 
by  sister  Ruth.  And  he  had  left  her — with  no  friends 
to  protect  her,  with  no  one  near  to  whom  she  could 
turn  in  her  loneliness  or  distress! 

And  what  if  her  father  died  ?  Who  would  tell  her 
the  sad  news?  How  would  she  be  able  to  bear  up 
should  she  hear  of  it  in  the  cold  words  of  a  telegram? 
Thank  heaven,  he  had  Tyler  to  help  him.  He  would 
provide  for"  that,  at  any  rate. 

Should  he  write  to  her  from  London  and  offer  her 
his  heart  and  hand?  He  began  thinking  of  the  pos- 
sible outcome  of  such  an  action  on  his  part.  If  he 
did  write,  was  there  not  the  danger  that  she  might 
refuse  him  without  her  father's  consent?  And  sup- 
pose he  heard  in  the  meantime  that  Count  Rondell 
was  dead,  how  could  he  dare  to  plead  his  own  cause 
at  a  time  of  such  distress?  Surely  her  heart  and 
mind  would  be  closed  to  him,  then!  What  a  quan- 
dary he  was  in! 

Thinking  thus,  he  lost  himself  in  a  tangle  of  his 
own  weaving.  It  seemed  as  if  he  were  beset  by 
worry  and  anxiety  from  all  sides.  Look  which  way 
he  would,  he  found  illness,  trouble  and  portending 
disaster  there.  Of  what  value  to  him  his  wealth  and 
education  in  this  present  predicament?  He  was  up 
against  it,  as  he  put  it  to  himself. 

What  had  Tyler,  his  father's  old  friend  and  ex- 
perienced man  of  the  world,  what  had  he  said  to  him  ? 
"Never  forget,  my  boy,  that  not  one  of  us  can  escape 
the  rules  of  life  as  the  world  lays  them  down.  The 
very  restraint  of  the  conditions  is  salutary,  aye,  even 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       207 

for  the  freedom  of  choice  we  occasionally  must  exer- 
cise. Our  rights  would  cease  to  be  rights  were  it  not 
at  the  price  of  the  corresponding  duties.  If  a  man 
thinks  he  can  cheat  life — evade  the  rules — he'll  find  he 
is  only  cheating  himself." 

Duties  ?  Ah,  yes,  Tyler  was  right.  His  duty  must 
come  first — and  he  owed  that  to  his  father  and  to  his 
anxious  mother.  If  the  Comtesse  Helene  could  not 
bear  up  before  that  test — why — he  must  lose  her.  He 
rose  excitedly  and  raised  the  window.  The  night  air 
rushing  in  cooled  his  hot  head.  He  stood  for  some 
moments  breathing  in  deep  gulps  of  it  as  if  it  were 
allaying  a  great  thirst,  staring  stonily  into  the  dark- 
ness. 

By  God,  no !  He  would  never  lose  her.  The  win- 
dow closed  with  a  crash  and  he  threw  himself  once 
more  on  the  cushions.  Never,  for  an  instant,  would 
he  doubt  her.  It  was  up  to  him — everything  was  up 
to  him.  He  must  be  a  man — or  he  was  not  deserving 
of  her.  And  she,  oh,  she  was  worth  the  winning! 
Thus  determined,  he  slept  heavily  and  awoke  the  next 
morning  to  the  refreshing  sounds  of  the  Bavarian 
country  life. 

All  journeys  have  an  end  and  in  time  Morton  ar- 
rived at  the  Hotel  Cecil  in  London.  Here  he  found 
his  mail  awaiting  him.  A  cable  from  home  con- 
firmed the  one  he  had  received  in  Vienna.  They 
were  glad  he  was  soon  to  sail.  His  father's  condition 
remained  unchanged.  The  telegram  from  Brindisi 
from  the  doctor  was  a  shock.  It  read :  "Our  friend 
died  on  November  twelfth,  conscious  to  the  last,  of 
acute  uremia  and  heart  failure.  Body  in  vault. 
Property  all  sealed,  your  agent  in  possession.  Wire 
or  write  further  instructions.  Detailed  letter  mailed 
you  Mont  Cenis  mail,  reach  you  seventeenth." 

Morton  held  the  flimsy  paper  in  his  hand  scarcely 


208       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

believing  what  he  had  read.  It  had  come  at  last.  He 
expected  it  and  yet  it  shocked  him  deeply.  Well,  he 
must  be  up  and  doing  quickly. 

The  wire  from  Donald  told  him  that  the  ladies 
were  leaving  for  Weimar  that  day.  Mr.  Tyler  was 
with  them  and  everything  had  been  satisfactorily  ar- 
ranged ;  he  had  received  no  news  from  Brindisi. 

He  also  opened  a  note  from  his  friend  Stillman 
which  said  that  he  would  call  on  him  at  nine  that  even- 
ing. 

Morton  looked  at  the  clock;  he  had  just  forty  min- 
utes before  Stillman  was  due. 

It  was  absolutely  necessary  that  some  person  should 
convey  the  sad  tidings  to  the  poor  girl.  Tyler  was  the 
man,  of  course;  there  was  time  to  wire  him  asking 
him  to  wait  for  a  letter.  He  rang  for  a  messenger 
and  sent  off  the  following  telegram :  "Please  wait  at 
Weimar  for  my  letter  mailed  you  via  Oriental  Ex- 
press. What  we  anticipated  has  happened.  Rondell 
is  dead.  Say  nothing  to  the  Comtesse  Helene  until 
you  receive  my  letter." 

Morton  was  putting  the  finishing  touches  to  a  hasty 
toilet  when  his  friend  Stillman  was  announced. 

"Hello,  Jack!" 

"How  do,  Harry!" 

The  two  exchanged  cordial  and  prolonged  hand- 
shakes. 

"Well,  upon  my  soul,  Jack,  old  man,  you've  not 
changed  nearly  as  much  as  I  expected.  You  look 
perfectly  civilized.  Where  have  you  been  and  why 
are  you  leaving  us  so  quickly?  We  surely  will  have 
a  couple  of  days  together,  eh?  How's  the  governor 
and  Mrs.  Morton?  What  do  you  hear  from  Ruth?" 

"My  dear  Harry,  you  are  asking  for  my  biography. 
I  came  here  from  Egypt  and  I  must  leave  to-morrow 
for  home  because  father  has  had  a  serious  accident  in 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       209 

a  mine  elevator.  Mother  and  Ruth  report  being-  well. 
Are  you  satisfied,  now?  I  suppose  you  are  still  on 
deck  at  the  Embassy?  But  you  look  fine — quite 
like  a  Britisher.  Still  the  same  old  Harry,  though, 
eh?" 

"The  same,  I  guess.  Same  job,  too, — a  bit  closer  to 
the  chief,  perhaps,  and  a  bit  of  raise  in  the  salary. 
But,  say,  I'm  awful  glad  to  see  you.  Have  you 
dined?" 

"No,  I  was  hoping  you  would  be  free  so  that  we 
could  go  out  together.  I  wanted  to  see  you  about 
presenting  some  reports  I  have  made  to  the  British 
Colonial  Office.  I  haven't  much  time,  as  I  tell  you, 
and,  perhaps,  I  may  not  be  able  to  manage  it  this 
time.  But  you'll  come  and  eat  with  me  first.  How 
will  the  Red  Room  below  suit  you?  You  see,  I'm 
not  in  evening  clothes  and  I  know  you  fellows  of  the 
Diplomatic  Corps  are  sticklers  on  that  score.  Will 
you  take  a  chance  with  me?" 

"Who  wouldn't  with  John  R.  Morton,  my  dear 
boy.  You're  above  clothes.  The  'Red  Room'  is  all 
right;  but  why  not  come  up  to  my  club,  the  Hoard- 
ers? They  serve  a  bully  good  dinner  there  and  you 
may  meet  some  of  our  fellows.  I  expect  the  Chief 
may  drop  in  after  ten  and,  I  am  sure,  he  wouldn't 
want  to  miss  you  while  you're  in  town.  How  does 
that  strike  you?" 

"It  suits  me  down  to  the  ground." 

"Then  come  right  along,  old  man." 

As  they  were  passing  the  clerk's  desk,  Morton 
turned  to  his  friend  and  excusing  himself  for  a  mo- 
ment, left  with  the  clerk  the  address  of  the  club 
where  he  could  be  found  in  case  a  message  came  for 
him. 

"Lady,  eh,  Jack?" 

"No  such  luck.     Speaking  of  ladies,  Harry,  how 


210       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

do  you  manage  to  escape  all  the  beautiful  English 
girls — not  to  mention  the  beauties  from  our  own 
land?  I  should  think  they'd  be  glad  to  bag  a  Secre- 
tary of  the  American  Legation." 

"A  prophet,  my  boy,  is  not  without  honor  save  in 
his  own  country.  Our  girls  take  no  stock  in  Secre- 
taries of  the  Legation;  and  as  for  the  English  girls 
they've  enough  Secretaries  to  choose  from  of  their 
own.  We're  all  of  us  only  cogs  in  a  big  wheel." 

They  stepped  out  of  the  hansom  and  entered  the 
splendid  home  of  the  Hoarders.  John  enjoyed  the 
novelty  of  the  place — it's  refined  atmosphere  ap- 
pealed to  him.  The  dinner  was  excellent  and  excel- 
lently served.  It  was  his  first  real  taste  of  civilization 
in  two  years.  The  two  friends  chatted  and  gossiped 
over  old  times  and  new.  John  was  treated  to  a;  good 
deal  of  politics  and  not  a  few  instances  of  the  Chief's 
peculiarities.  Evidently,  it  was  not  all  beer  and  skit- 
tles at  the  Legation.  He  was  not  much  interested 
really,  though  he  gave  Stillman  the  politest  attention 
and  sympathy.  But  he  could  not  put  out  of  his  mind 
the  many  matters  which  just  then  were  weighing 
heavily  on  him.  The  very  brilliancy  of  the  room 
with  its  coruscating  crystals  and  heavy  crimson  and 
gold  draperies  served  but  to  accentuate  the  dif- 
ference between  his  own  present  situation  and  that 
of  the  dear  girl  he  had  left  alone  and  friendless.  He 
would  write  that  letter  to  Tyler  immediately  he  got 
back  to  the  hotel. 

They  were  about  to  retire  to  the  lounging  room 
when  a  servant  came  up  to  Stillman  and  handed  him 
a  note  on  a  salver.  Stillman  read  it  with  a  puzzled 
expression  on  his  face. 

"I  say,  Jack,  what  does  this  mean?  There  are  sev- 
eral newspaper  fellows  in  the  hall  who  want  to  inter- 
view you.  They  learned  at  the  hotel  that  you  were 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       211 

here  and  have  come  in  a  body?  I  didn't  know  you 
were  a  celebrity  of  that  kind.  What's  the  game?" 

"I  haven't  the  slightest  idea.  I  suppose  I'd  better 
see  them  and  find  out.  Can  they  come  up  to  the  read- 
ing-room ?" 

Stillman  turned  to  the  waiting  servant  and  told  him 
to  bring  the  gentlemen  into  the  reading-roon — the 
small  one,  he  added. 

When  they  entered  the  room  they  found  awaiting 
them  four  gentlemen  of  various  ages  who  introduced 
themselves  as  representatives  of  the  Associated  Press, 
the  Times,  the  New  York  Herald  and  the  Sphere, 
respectively.  Their  spokesman,  a  Mr.  Worcester, 
begged  permission  to  explain  their  seeming  intrusion. 
Morton  nodded  his  willingness  to  listen. 

"Mr.  Morton,"  he  began  briskly,  "we  have  been 
advised  of  the  arrival  in  Vienna  of  Her  Royal  High- 
ness Princess  Marie-Louise  of  Roumelia  and  her 
Lady-in- Waiting,  the  Comtesse  Helene  Rondell.  We 
have  been  given  to  understand  that  you  escorted  the 
ladies  over  the  border,  or,  in  other  words,  that  you 
rescued  them  from  the  castle  in  which  they  had  been 
confined.  Are  we  correct  in  our  information?" 

John  was  both  astonished  and  chagrined.  Who  on 
earth  had  spread  the  news  ?  It  never  occurred  to  him 
that  any  publicity  would  follow  his  adventure.  Con- 
found these  newspaper  fellows!  However,  he  knew 
the  class  well  from  past  experience  and  also  that  it 
would  be  better  if  he  told  them  the  facts  himself 
rather  than  leave  them  to  their  imaginations.  Assum- 
ing a  friendly  and  frank  manner,  he  smiled  and  said : 

"Why,  gentlemen,  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  tell  you 
all  I  know.  Pray,  be  seated.  Harry,  will  you  be  good 
enough  to  order  some  drinks  and  cigars  for  the  gen- 
tlemen ?" 

He  was  gaining  time  and  doing  some  quick  and 


212       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

hard  thinking  as  well.  "Now,  Mr.  Worcester,  go 
ahead  with  your  questions  so  that  I  may  know  what 
you  want  me  to  tell  you." 

"Would  it  not  be  better,  Mr.  Morton,  if  you  told 
us  the  story  in  your  own  way?"  Evidently,  Mr. 
Worcester  was  no  tyro  at  the  game.  "We  shall  ask 
questions  and,  perhaps,  more  than  you  care  to  answer, 
after  we  have  had  your  story?" 

The  waiter  came  in  with  the  refreshments  and  by 
the  time  glasses  were  filled  and  cigars  lit,  John  was 
ready  for  them. 

"There  is  not  much  to  tell/*  he  remarked  in  a  tone 
of  admirably  assumed  regret.  "So,  I  think,  you'd  get 
more  out  of  me  if  you  put  your  questions  first." 

"As  you  wish,  Mr.  Morton.  Reuter's  report  the 
arrival  of  the  two  ladies  at  the  Bristol  in  Vienna. 
They  came  to  the  city  accompanied  by  you  and  your 
man.  The  report  says  further  that  they  were  left  in 
charge  of  Mr.  Gordon  S.  Tyler,  the  American  Minis- 
ter to  Germany.  Mr.  Tyler  denies  any  knowledge  as 
to  how  the  ladies  got  out  of  Roumelia,  nor  does  he 
give  any  other  information  except  that  he  is  escorting 
them  to  their  friends  in  Germany.  He  refused  per- 
mission to  have  the  ladies  interviewed.  We  had 
heard,  of  course,  all  kinds  of  rumors  from  Sophia  and 
Belgrade,  but  nothing  in  which  we  could  place  any 
confidence.  The  papers  have  been  full  of  the  escape 
during  the  past  few  days,  but  gave  no  details.  That  is 
what  we  are  here  for  now?" 

John  had  made  up  his  mind.  He  would  tell  the 
story  or  some  simple,  plausible  tale  that  would  satisfy 
the  papers  so  that  they  would  leave  the  rest  alone. 

"Well,  gentlemen,  if  you  will  have  it,  here  it  is — 
all  I  know.  My  friend,  Count  Rondell,  shortly  after 
I  arrived  in  Italy  on  my  return  from  Egypt,  asked  me 
to  assist  him  in  getting  his  daughter  to  him.  He 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       213 

gave  me  full  instructions,  provided  me  with  the  neces- 
sary guides  and  equipment  and  led  me  to  a  place  close 
to  the  Roumelian  border  where  we  remained  in  hiding. 
When  all  was  ready,  one  stormy  night,  we  entered  a 
small  town, — you  will  pardon  me  if  I  do  not  give  its 
name — and  took  the  ladies  away  in  a  closed  carriage. 
The  ladies  had  been  prepared  for  our  arrival,  so  that 
there  was  little  or  no  delay.  We  managed  to  elude 
the  officials  and  guards  and,  after  crossing  the  border, 
arrived  at  a  railway  station  where  we  took  the  train 
for  Vienna.  The  rest  you  seem  to  know." 

"Were  you  acquainted  with  the  ladies  before  you 
undertook  to  assist  Count  Rondell  ?" 

"Not  at  all.  I  am  sure  my  fame  never  reached  the 
Princess's  ears.  I  had  neither  time  nor  opportunity 
to  see  much  of  them  on  the  journey  and  I  question  if 
they  know  even  my  name.  To  them  I  was  simply  the 
man  in  charge  of  the  expedition." 

John  sipped  his  brandy  and  soda  and  puffed  calmly 
at  his  cigar  as  he  looked  his  interlocutor  steadily  in 
his  face. 

"Of  course,"  he  added,  smiling,  "I  am  happy  and 
proud  to  have  succeeded.  It  was  certainly  exciting 
driving  over  those  hills.  But  Count  Rondell  had 
seen  to  everything  and  there  wasn't  a  hitch.  Will  you 
have  another  glass,  gentlemen?" 

"May  I  inquire  what  you  are  going  to  do  now?" 

"Oh,  I  am  sailing  for  home  on  the  Umbria  from 
Liverpool  on  Saturday  morning.  I  haven't  seen  my 
people  for  two  years.  What  I  shall  do  when  I  get 
there  is  hard  to  say." 

"May  I  be  permitted  to  ask  a  question?"  The  voice 
came  from  a  young,  red-haired  dapper  little  fellow 
with  an  upturned  nose  on  which  were  placed  thick  eye- 
glasses. 

"Certainly,  Mr.  Witherspoon." 


214       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

"You  must  have  driven  at  a  break-neck  speed. 
Were  the  ladies  frightened?" 

John  smiled  at  the  inanity  of  the  question.  "I  was 
hardly  in  a  position  to  know.  As  you  say,  we  rode 
fast  and  I  sat  with  the  driver,  so  there  was  not  much 
opportunity  for  conversation.  The  only  occasion  for 
talk  was  when  we  took  the  train  for  Vienna." 

"How  did  the  Princess  appear  to  you,  Mr.  Mor- 
ton?" Mr.  Witherspoon  was  insistent. 

"The  Princess  appears*  to  be  a  very  noble  and  seri- 
ous-minded young-  woman.  Perhaps  I  am  wrong  in 
using  the  word  woman — she  looked  so  young." 

"The  Almanach  de  Gotha  gives  her  age  as  nine- 
teen." 

"Well,  the  Almanach  de  Gotha  ought  to  know — the 
poor  thing  does  not  look  it." 

"Were  the  ladies  surprised  to  find  that  their  rescuer 
was  no  other  than  the  son  of  the  richest  living  Amer- 
can?" 

John  rose  in  all  his  dignity.  The  pup  was  getting 
unbearable  with  his  impertinent  questions.  But  he 
kept  himself  well  in  restraint. 

"I  think,  Mr.  Witherspoon,  you  heard  me  say  that 
the  ladies  knew  nothing  about  me.  There  was  no 
occasion  when  it  was  at  all  necessary  for  them  to 
know  who  or  what  I  was.  As  I  have  already  said, 
they  knew  me  only  as  Count  Rondell's  deputy — they 
obeyed  his  instructions  as  I  did.  I  think,  gentlemen, 
that  will  be  all." 

The  reporters  rose  quickly  and  withdrew  as  quickly. 

It  was  late  when  Morton  got  back  to  his  hotel  and 
he  was  very  tired.  He  would  write  his  letter  to  Tyler 
to-morrow,  and  by  that  time  he  would  most  likely 
hear  from  the  Brindisi  doctor,  and  then  he  would 
know  better  what  to  say. 

Early  next  morning  he  received  a  telegram  from 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       215 

Tyler,  who  expressed  his  willingness  to  remain  over  in 
Weimar  and  act  on  John's  letter  when  it  should  reach 
him.  Somewhat  later  in  the  day  the  French  mail 
brought  him  the  anxiously  expected  letter  from  Brin- 
disi.  It  was  more  of  a  physician's  report  than  a  letter, 
and  was  written  in  a  dry,  professional  style.  Count 
Rondell  had  rallied  a  little  two  days  after  landing.  He 
constantly  inquired  for  letters  which  he  was  expect- 
ing. On  the  fourth  day,  he  received  a  letter  which 
made  him  very  happy.  He  was  much  better  that  day. 
Then  he  began  to  fail  again.  His  heart  became  so 
weak  that  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  call  in  a  special- 
ist from  Rome.  This  was  done,  but  he  proved  of  no 
help.  For  two  days  the  Count  remained  in  a  coma- 
tose condition.  On  Tuesday  morning,  he  rallied  some- 
what. <When  the  message  from  Hermanstadt  ar- 
rived he  had  it  read  to  him.  The  news  seemed 
to  make  him  very  happy  and  he  murmured 
words  of  prayer.  He  dozed  off  in  the  afternoon, 
awoke  in  the  evening  and  dictated  a  few  sentences 
which  the  nurse  wrote  down.  Soon  after  he  sank 
slowly  and  expired  towards  midnight.  The  report 
went  on  to  say  that  Mr.  Morton's  agent  was  in  pos- 
session of  all  the  papers  and  personal  property  of  the 
deceased  gentleman  as  well  as  such  letters  he  had 
written  or  dictated  while  in  Brindisi.  Mr.  Morton's 
agent  had  discharged  liberally  all  the  costs,  for  which 
the  writer  begged  to  thank  him  herewith. 

Another  letter,  one  from  Morton's  agent,  confirmed 
the  doctor's  report.  He  now  had  all  the  information 
for  which  he  had!  been  waiting.  Sitting  down  imme- 
diately, he  wrote  his  letter  to  Tyler  at  Weimar : 

"My  DEAR  MR.  TYLER: 

"I  have  your  wire  advising  that  you  will  await  in  Weimar 
the  arrival  o'f  this  letter.  Thank  you  for  this  most  heartily. 

"I  enclose  herewith  letter  of  Dr. of  Brindisi  which 


216       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

gives  the  details  of  Count  Rondell's  death.  I  have  wired 
my  agents  in  Rome  to  forward  promptly  all  letters  and 
papers  left  by  Count  R.  to  you  and  to  hold  other  personal 
property  at  the  order  of  yourself  or  the  Countess. 

"As,  perhaps,  you  are  aware,  my  dear  Mr.  Tyler,  my 
interest  in  Comtesse  Helene  is  very  deep  and  sincere.  I  want 
you  to  be  the  person  to  tell  her  of  her  sad  loss.  You  will 
know  how  to  soften  the  blow.  She  will  need  all  her  courage 
and  the  help  of  a  good  friend  in  this  hour  of  her  sorrow. 

"I  would  give  a  great  deal  were  it  possible  for  me  to  be 
there  to  protect  and  comfort  her;  but  my  duty  calls  me  home. 
I  have  received  another  cable  confirming  the  earlier  one  and 
I  "fear  I  must  be  prepared  for  the  worst. 

"Please  advise  the  Comtesse  in  all  things;  you  will  know 
best  what  and  how.  It  would  be  best  if  the  money  left  by  her 
father  were  to  be  deposited  in  an  ordinary  checking  account 
to  her  order.  The  Comtesse  is  a  minor  and  you  must  avoid 
a  guardianship.  She  is  a  foreign  subject  and  it  would  lead  to 
complications  and  red  tape.  She  will  do  what  you  suggest,  I 
am  confident.  Don't  allow  her  to  act  on  her  own  initiative, 
and  urge  her  to  keep  her  affairs  to  herself.  The  German 
laws  are  tedious — but  you  know  all  about  that ! 

"I  shall  be  back  in  Europe  right  after  New  Year,  I  think, 
and  will  then  take  occasion  to  thank  you  in  person  for  your 
splendid  friendship.  Father  will,  I  hope,  perhaps  be  also  able 
to  thank  you  for  having  done  this  'for  his  son. 

"Once  more  assuring  you  of  my  deepest  appreciation  and 
hoping  to  see  you  soon,  I  am, 

"Yours  very  sincerely, 

"MORTON." 

The  letter  written,  John  felt  greatly  relieved.  But 
he  had  other  tasks  before  him — one,  the  most  dif- 
ficult of  all — his  letter  to  Helene  herself.  She  had 
never,  for  one  moment,  been  out  of  his  thoughts  since 
he  left  her  in  Vienna.  He  dared  not  put  it  off  any 
longer,  especially  now  when  she  would  need  the 
heartfelt  sympathy  of  a  dear  friend. 

"MY  DEAR  COMTESSE  RONDELL: 

"My  friend,  Mr.  Tyler,  whom  I  trust  you  will  permit  to  be 
your  friend  also,  has,  no  doubt,  told  you  of  your  loss  and  of 
the  calm  and  happy  last  hours  of  your  beloved  father. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       217 

"He  will  also  have  let  you  know  that  my  dispatch  telling 
your  father  that  you  were  well  and  safe  in  Transylvania  had 
reached  him  when  perfectly  conscious.  His  mind  had  been 
freed  from  worry  about  your  welfare.  He  died  with  a  smile 
upon  his  lips,  whispering  a  blessing. 

"In  this  sad  hour  of  your  bereavement,  I,  a  friend  of  but 
recent  date,  should  perhaps  not  presume  to  dwell  upon  it. 
But  I  remember  that  I  was  probably  the  last  man  to  whom 
your  father  spoke  'freely ;  and  it  is  the  honor  he  did  me  by  his 
confidence  that  moves  me  to  write  to  you  now. 

"I  dared  not  tell  you,  but  we  both  knew,  even  before  our 
arrival  in  Italy,  that  the  days  remaining  to  him  were  few, 
and  that  he  despaired  of  seeing  you  again.  He  made  me 
promise  to  look  after  you,  his  most  beloved  in  this  world. 
He  was  afraid  you  would  be  left  friendless.  You  know  now, 
perhaps,  that  I  am  happy  and  proud  to  have  this  privilege. 

"My  own  dear  father  is  in  serious  condition  and  I  fear 
that  before  long,  I,  too,  shall  lose  a  parent.  The  information 
I  have  received  in  another  cable  makes  it  imperative  for  me 
to  sail  to-morrow  for  America.  But  for  this  duty  which  I 
owe  to  my  mother  and  father — nothing  would  have  pre- 
vented me  from  returning  to  Weimar  and  telling  you  the  sad 
tidings  myself.  Mr.  Tyler,  for  whom  I  beg  your  full  confi- 
dence, is  a  most  honorable  and  experienced  gentleman.  His 
official  position  puts  him  where  he  may  well  be  able  to  lighten 
the  terrible  burden  which  has  now  fallen  upon  your  young 
life. 

r'It  may  be  presumptuous  on  my  part,  but  I  would  remind 
you  again  of  our  last  interview  in  Vienna.  I  beg  oi  you  not 
to  take  any  important  step  in  your  life  until  I  can  present 
myself  once  more  before  you. 

"May  God  bless  you,  and  soften  the  heavy  blow  that  has 
come  to  you  now.  May  He  in  His  great  goodness  and  wisdom 
guide  your  thoughts  and  give  you  the  strength  you  need. 

"Rest  assured,  dear  lady,  that  I  shall  be  ever  ready  to 
devote  myserf,  if  you  and  the  kind  fates  permit,  to  your  hap- 
piness. With  my  highest  regard  and  my  most  fervent  hope 
that  you  will  still  permit  me  to  be  your  sincere  friend  and 
servant,  I  am,  in  deepest  sympathy  and  devotion, 
"Yours  most  sincerely, 

"JOHN  RANDOLPH  MORTON." 

He  enclosed  this  letter  in  one  he  had  written  to 
Don,  because  he  wished  Helenef  to  read  it  after  Tyler 
15 


218       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

had  seen  her.     He  then  drove  to  the  Post-office  and 
despatched  the  letters  himself. 

The  rest  of  the  afternoon  he  spent  in  making 
various  calls  on  officials  and  agents,  and  by  midnight 
he  was  on  the  train  rushing  to  Liverpool  where  early 
the  next  morning  he  boarded  the  steamer  which  was 
to  carry  him  home — home  at  last! 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  following  Sunday  Morton,  standing  on  the 
upper  deck  of  the  good  ship  Umbria,  saw  in  the 
distance  the  serrated  outline  of  his  country's 
real  metropolis.    Up  the  bay,  past  the  gaunt  and  gray 
structures  looming  above  the  sands  of  Coney  Island, 
through  the  leaden  murk  and  mist  of  the  late  autumn 
day,  his  eyes  roved  and  lingered,  glorying  inwardly 
at  the  pride  and  pomp  of  New  York.     He  took  in 
deep  draughts  of  the  air.     It  was  good  to  be  back 
again,  and  his  heart  lifted. 

He  was  met  at  the  pier  by  a  representative  from 
the  office  who  told  him  that  his  father's  condition 
was  still  unchanged.  He  had  received  word  to  tell 
Mr.  Morton  that  he  was  to  take  the  train  for  Cleveland 
without  delay. 

At  daybreak,  the  following  morning,  he  was  once 
again  in  Cleveland,  the  city  of  his  childhood,  the 
place  of  his  home.  The  coachman,  an  ancient  servitor 
of  the  Mortons,  greeted  him  with  welcoming  smiles 
and  glad  words.  Even  the  horses  knew  him  and 
neighed  as  he  stroked  their  manes.  The  drive  through 
the  deserted  streets,  so  familiar  to  him,  brought  back 
to  his  mind  so  many  memories  that  he  could  scarce 
see  the  houses  for  the  moisture  in  his  eyes.  The 
tinkling  of  the  silver  harness,  the  hoof-beats  of  the 
spirited  animals  were  music  to  his  ears.  Ah,  at  last, 
there  was  the  tall  iron  gate  that  led  to  home !  With 
a  bound  he  was  through  it  and  running  swiftly  up  the 
pebbled  approach  he  almost  fell  into  the  waiting,  out- 
stretched arms  of  his  mother  and  sister, 

219 


220       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

"Home  at  last,  John,"  cried  the  mother,  kissing  and 
hugging  him  while  Ruth  had  her  hands  on  his  arms. 

"Yes,  dear  mother,  home  at  last.  But  how  is 
father?" 

Bravely  restraining  her  tears  she  told  him: 

"Father  is  very  weak,  but  cheerful.  The  doctors 
are  non-committal,  but  won't  you  go  up  to  him,  dear  ? 
He  was  sleeping  a  little  while  ago,  but  I  think  he's 
awake  now.  And,  ah,  he  does  so  want  to  see  you." 

Then  followed  more  embracing.  The  handsome 
mother  held  her  boy  at  arm's  length,  bathing  him 
with  the  lovelight  that  streamed  from  her  eyes.  "Oh, 
but  you're  so  altered — so  brown  and  big — and — and 
— just  the  same  dear  boy."  Her  voice  broke  in 
sobs. 

"Of  course,  I'm  just  the  same,  dear  mother.  Would 
you  have  me  different?  And  here's  our  little  Ruthie. 
Little?  Why  bless  me,  Ruthie,  but  you've  grown  to 
be  quite  a  lady !  Yes,  and  a  mighty  good-looking  one 
at  that !  I  suppose  I  shall  have  to  behave  myself  now, 
eh?"  He  kisse*d  her  affectionately,  his  arms  about 
her  shoulders. 

"Oh,  Jack,  I'm  so  glad  you're  home  again.  You'll 
stay  with  us  now,  always,  won't  you?  We  did  miss 
you  awfully.  You  do  look  nice,  John.  I  like  your 
mustache,  but  you've  quite  a  serious  look  in  your 
eyes.  He  looks  just  like  you,  mamma,  really  he  does, 
although  not  so  handsome,  of  course.  But  you'll  pass 
in  a  crowd." 

John  laughed  and  gave  her  another  hug. 

"All  right,  old  girl,  I  don't  mind;  so  long  as  I 
look  like  mother  I  guess  I'll  do." 

The  nurse  preceded  him  up  the  stairs  to  the  bed- 
room. Propped  up  in  bed  lay  a  thin,  gray-haired 
man,  looking  pale  and  wan,  but  with  eyes  bright  and 
with  a  look  in  them  anticipatory  of  pleasure. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       221 

"Father,  dear  father,"  John  whispered  brokenly  as 
he  bent  lovingly  over  the  smiling  and  happy  face. 

"Ah,  dear  boy,  welcome  home.  Stand  back,  John, 
and  let  me  get.  a  good  look  at  you.  My,  but  you  do 
look  fit !  I  am  glad  to  see  you  again,  my  lad,  though 
I'm  sorry  you  find  me  in  this  scrape."  The  sick 
man's  eyes  twinkled  and  a  humorous  smile  bent  the 
pale  lips.  "Well,  well,  so  you  are  ready  to  settle 
down  with  the  old  folks,  eh  ?  No  more  exploring  and 
adventure?  By  George,  you're  some  man,  John, 
some  man.  You  make  me  want  to  ask  her  name. 
Never  mind,  lad,  you  needn't  tell  me  right  now.  My 
— but  it's  good  to  have  you  home  again." 

"Dear  dad,  I  am  so  glad  to  be  home  again.  You 
are  looking  fine  and  not  a  bit  changed.  Get  well  again, 
dad,  because  I  want  you  to  teach  me  how  to  be  of  use 
to  you.  I  want  you  to  be  proud  of  me." 

"Proud  of  you,  John?  Why,  I  always  have  been 
and  still  am  proud  of  you.  There  isn't  a  finer  fel- 
low in  Ohio.  You'll  make  good;  I'm  dead  sure  of 
that.  All  right,  nurse,  I'll  be  good.  John,  I'm 
afraid  we'll  have  to  obey  Miss  Persing.  She  says  that 
six  in  the  morning  is  too  early  for  children  of  my  age 
to  be  up.  I've  got  to  sleep  for  a  couple  of  hours 
longer.  No,  you  go  back  to  mother  and  Ruth.  I 
guess  they're  dying  ta  hear  all  you  have  to  tell  them. 
Hello,  mother;  good  morning,  my  dear."  Mrs. 
Morton  and  Ruth  had  that  moment  appeared  in  the 
doorway.  His  wife  went  to  the  bedside  and 
kissed  her  husband  tenderly  while  Ruth  stroked  his 
hand. 

"What's  the  orders,  nurse?"  Mr.  Morton  asked  as 
he  looked  at  her  over  his  wife's  shoulder. 

"You  would  better  be  resting,  Mr.  Morton.  The 
doctor  will  be  here  at  half  past  eight  and  he'll  scold 
me  if  he  finds  you  feverish." 


"All  right,  Miss  Parsing,  I'll  be  good." 

The  family  withdrew  leaving  the  old  man,  weak 
and  pale  but  with  a  face  wreathed  in  happy  smiles. 
His  head  sought  the  pillow  gratefully  and  soon  he 
was  sleeping  like  a  child. 

It  was  now  that  John  heard  the  full  details  of  the 
accident  to  his  father.  He  had  been  suffering  all 
summer,  diabetes  the  doctors  had  said.  When  they 
came  to  New  York  from  Newport,  he  was  much  im- 
proved and  felt  himself  well  enough  to  go  out  to  Utah 
to  look  over  his  pet  mine,  the  Calumet  Minnie.  It  was 
there  the  accident  occurred.  Nobody  knew  just  how 
it  happened.  The  elevator  had  been  inspected  only 
the  week  before.  In  the  cage  with  him  were  the  man- 
ager, Carson,  the  superintendent,  two  engineers  and 
a  foreman.  At  the  hundred  and  fifty  foot  level  some- 
thing went  wrong — the  safety  clutch  didn't  work — 
and  the  cage  dropped  some  eighty  feet.  Carson  was 
killed,  the  foreman  also,  and  the  rest  badly  hurt.  His 
father's  weakened  state  before  the  accident  compli- 
cated things  and  the  doctor  considered  the  case  seri- 
ous. Later  in  the  seclusion  of  her  own  room,  his  mother 
broke  down  utterly  before  him.  She  knew  his  father 
would  never  get  better,  she  said,  and  she  feared  the 
worst.  John  tried  all  in  his  power  to  comfort  her,  but 
he  succeeded  only  in  bringing  pathetic  smiles  to  her 
face  and  hopeful  looks  in  her  eyes  as  she  looked 
at  him.  He  understood  what  was  passing  in  her 
thoughts  and  swore  inwardly  that  he  would  never  fail 
her. 

Then  came  the  anxious  days  of  hope  and  fear,  when 
the  elder  Morton's  strength  failed  to  respond  to  the 
doctors'  treatment.  To  John  these  days  were  in- 
expressibly distressful.  Gloom  settled  on  the  old 
mansion  which  had  seen  the  happiest  times  for  both 
parents  and  children.  John  did  all  he  could  to  brighten 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       223 

the  home,  and  spent  many  hours  with  his  father  in 
intimate  talk  of  his  ambitions  and  aims  in  life.  It 
was  in  these  confidences  that  he  learned  to  know  his 
father  and,  in  knowing  him,  to  honor  and  admire 
him. 

Dan  Morton  prided  himself  on  the  great  fortune  he 
had  made,  because  in  making  it  he  had  never  wronged 
another  and  he  had  brought  the  treasures  of  the  earth 
to  enrich  his  fellowmen's  lives.  That  was  the  secret 
spring  of  his  success  and  power;  and  he  knew  how  to 
use  that  power  because  he  was  most  keenly  aware  of 
the  responsibility  which  its  use  entailed. 

The  younger  son  of  a  Connecticut  banker,  who  had 
made  considerable  money  in  his  native  state,  Dan 
Morton,  quite  early  in  life,  had  become  impatient  of 
the  narrow  New  England  environment.  He  decided 
to  go  West.  With  the  legacy  left  him  by  his  father, 
he  followed  the  then  drift  towards  the  great  undevel- 
oped country  beyond  the  Mississippi.  Mines,  ranches 
and  the  building  of  railroads  claimed  his  enthusiastic 
attention.  The  astonishing  development  of  the  Mid- 
dle West  gave  his  investments  a  solid  foundation  and 
furnished  opportunities  for  realizing  greatly  increased 
values.  During  the  second  half  of  the  decade  fol- 
lowing the  Civil  War,  Dan  Morton  had  become  a 
power  in  the  financial  world  of  America.  Great  sec- 
tions of  the  Pacific  Slope  and  the  country  of  the  Ore- 
gon trail  were  largely  opened  up  by  the  aid  given  by 
him  and  his  associates.  It  was  in  this  way  that  he 
helped  to  promote  the  country's  wonderful  growth. 

He  had  married  a  beautiful  girl,  the  daughter  of  an 
old  Southern  family  and  had  settled  in  Cleveland 
where  he  built  a  fine  mansion.  In  spite  of  his  increas- 
ing wealth,  his  tastes  remained  simple  and  his  man- 
ners unassuming.  Neither  he  nor  his  wife  took  any 
active  part  in  what  is  known  as  "Society,"  though 


224       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

they  maintained  a  beautiful  country  house  overlooking 
the  Hudson. 

When  his  son  was  born,  he  was  called  after  his 
grandfather,  John  Morton.  As  the  boy  grew  up  he 
became  his  father's  pride  and  hope.  Dan  Morton 
looked  on  him  as  the  reincarnation  of  himself,  the 
child  who  would  grow  up  to  be  a  man  to  carry  on 
the  work  he  had  begun.  When  the  young  man  was 
ready  to  enter  college,  he  developed  a  rather  unex- 
pected taste  for  study  and  research — most  un-Morton 
like,  as  his  mother  would  say.  His  father  decided 
not  to  discourage  the  youth,  but  hoped  that  in  time 
he  would  turn  from  these  strange  gods  and  worship 
the  gods  of  his  fathers.  Indeed,  he  even  encouraged 
him,  possibly  because  he  realized  that  opposition 
might  but  confirm  him  in  his  inclinations.  But  so 
wise  a  man  as  was  Dan  Morton  knew  also  that  an 
earnest  search  for  truth  and  a  true  desire  for  knowl- 
edge are  in  themselves  ennobling  and  must  result  in 
useful  work.  That  John  should  apparently  be  engaged 
in  profitless  labor,  never  for  a  moment  touched  his 
almost  religious  conviction,  that  his  son  would  re- 
turn to  the  Morton  fold  and  hold  the  belief  that  life 
meant  working  for  a  reward  and  that  it  was  the 
reward  that  gave  meaning  to  life. 

During  the  years  John  spent  at  the  various  col- 
leges, he  attended  at  home  and  abroad,  acquiring 
learning  if  not  wisdom,  his  father  kept  on  piling  up 
riches,  and  patiently  waiting  for  the  young  man  to 
exhaust  himself  of  his  dreamy  desires  and  to  come 
back  to  earth,  as  he  put  it.  But  he  always  spoke  of 
him  with  great  pride,  and  if  anyone  referred  to  his 
son's  aimlessness,  he  would  say :  "John  won't  play 
second  fiddle  to  anybody — not  even  to  me.  And  when 
I'm  ready  to  quit,  John  will  take  my  place — a  better 
man  than  his  old  dad  was." 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       225 

This  was  the  man  that  John  came  to  know  as  he 
had  never  known  him  before  during  their  quiet  chats 
in  the  sick-room.  It  was  to  this  man,  so  practical  in 
his  every  thought  that  it  seemed  as  if  there  could 
not  possibly  be  a  chord  in  his  being  that  would 
vibrate  to  romance,  it  was  to  this  man  that  John  un- 
bosomed himself  of  his  secret.  He  told  him  in  detail 
of  all  that  had  happened,  descanted,  as  only  a  lover 
can,  of  the  beauty  of  the  girl  and  wound  up  by  say- 
ing: "I  intend,  dad,  to  make  that  girl  my  wife — 
if — if  she  will  have  me." 

"My  boy,  I  am  proud  of  you,"  said  his  father. 
"You  showed  yourself  a  man.  If  she  won't  have  you, 
she's  no  judge  of  what  a  man  is — and  the  future  gen- 
erations of  Mortons  won't  be  the  losers.  But  if  she 
is  all  you  describe  her  to  be,  she  knows  a  hawk  from 
a  hernshaw." 

John  laughed  at  his  father's  way  of  stating  the 
case;  but  the  words  made  him  very  happy.  As  time 
passed  and  but  scant  and  unsatisfying  news  came 
from  either  Tyler  or  Don,  he  became  very  restless. 
He  had  received  one  letter  from  Helene  which  he 
treasured ;  but  it  contained  what  he  took  as  merely  a 
courteous  acknowledgment  of  her  gratitude.  He  took 
several  flying  trips  to  New  York  at  his  father's  re- 
quest, but  always  returned  distrait  and  unhappy.  He 
wrote  several  heartfelt  letters  to  the  Comtesse,  but 
received  no  replies. 

Christmas  came  and  with  it  a  severe  winter.  It 
was  a  quiet  and  subdued  Yule-tide  for  the  Mortons. 
Old  Dan  Morton  was  failing  fast.  The  shadow  of 
the  coming  tragedy  had  fallen  on  the  house.  Before 
the  New  Year  had  arrived,  the  elder  Morton  lay  dead 
in  the  stilled  solemn  room.  The  man  who  had  been 
such  a  power  in  the  world  had  no  longer  any  power. 
Henceforth  the  forces  of  nature  which  he  had  con- 


226       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

quered  would  deal  with  him  in  their  own  silent,  re- 
sistless and  inevitable  fashion. 

John  took  his  heartbroken  mother  and  sister  South, 
away  from  the  place  where  they  had  known  joy  and 
experienced  sorrow.  They  recovered  somewhat  their 
interest  in  life  amid  the  richer  scenes  and  more  vivid 
life  of  the  sun-bathed  lands.  It  was  here  that  he 
spoke,  for  the  first  time,  to  his  mother  of  his  feelings 
for  a  girl  he  had  met  in  Europe.  She  said  very  little, 
because  she  knew  it  would  be  of  no  use ;  and  she  also 
knew  that  she  could  trust  his  taste.  She  saw  that  it 
was  very  near  to  his  heart,  and  urged  him  to  go  back. 
If,  she  said,  he  felt  convinced  that  the  girl  was, 
indeed,  necessary  to  his  happiness,  he  must  lose  no 
time  in  winning  her.  He  had  not  told  her  everything 
and  declined  to  give  the  girl's  name  or  station  in  life. 
She  was  good  and  beautiful,  he  said,  and  he  was  sure 
his  mother  would  welcome  her  and  love  her.  In  that 
case,  his  mother  urged,  his  first  duty  was  to  himself. 
He  must  go  at  once. 

It  was  not  his  mother's  words,  however,  but  a  cable 
from  McCormick  that  decided  him.  Donald  had 
cabled  that  the  Comtesse  Helene  had  left  the  Ducal 
Palace  secretly  five  days  ago  leaving  no  trace  behind. 
She  had  been  hunted  for  high  and  low  and  even 
detectives  had  been  employed.  Would  Mr.  Morton 
cable  further  instructions. 

John  lost  no  time  in  instructing  Don  to  continue 
the  search  and  advised  him  that  he  was  sailing  for 
Europe  by  the  first  boat.  To  his  mother  he  gave  an 
envelope  with  Helene's  handwriting  on  it,  at  the  same 
time  begging  her,  if  a  letter  came  from  Europe  for 
him  addressed  in  the  same  hand,  to  notify  him  by 
cable  of  its  receipt. 

While  New  York  matrons  who  had  their  daughters' 
welfares  to  think  of  were  busy  planning  a  season's 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       227 

.siege  of  the  bachelor  millionaire's  heart,  the  uncon- 
scious object  of  their  thoughts  was  sailing  away  from 
them — back  to  a  land  he  longed  to  see  because  some- 
where in  it  lived  one  for  whom  his  whole  being 
yearned,  and  without  whom  life  would  not  be  worth 
living  for  him. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

AFTER  her  trying  experiences  in  that  drive  from 
Roumelia,  Helene  welcomed  the  harbor  of  ref- 
uge afforded  her  by  the  castle  at  Weimar.  A 
small  and  pretty  suite  of  rooms  had  been  assigned  to 
her  in  the  older  east  wing,  where  her  mistress,  the  Prin- 
cess Marie-Louise,  was  also  provided  for.  Her  at- 
tendance at  the  Court  was  to  begin  after  she  had  been 
presented  to  the  Dowager  Duchess  Clementine.  A 
maid  had  been  assigned  to  her,  and  in  her  new  sur- 
rounding's she  forgot  for  a  while  her  troubles,  though 
she  could  not  overcome  the  waves  of  depression  which 
continually  assailed  her  when  she  thought  of  her 
father. 

The  maid,  Josephine,  a  pert,  little  Parisian  person, 
proved  to  be  an  adept  at  her  business ;  which  is  to  say, 
that,  in  addition  to  a  capacity  for  ministering  to  a 
lady's  toilet,  she  was  a  most  valuable  and  insistent 
gossip  and  a  consummate  flatterer.  During  her  minis- 
trations she  told  Helene  that  she  was  prettier  and  had 
hair  more  beautiful  than  any  other  lady  of  the  Court. 
The  hair,  especially,  seemed  to  possess  most  remark- 
able qualities.  By  its  quality,  she  judged  the  gracious 
Comtesse  to  be  a  lady  of  fine  mind  and  of  a  strong  con- 
stitution ;  by  its  lustre,  that  the  lady's  heart  was  pure 
as  gold;  by  its  tendency  to  waviness,  that  its  owner 
would  have  a  long  life  and  be  wealthy  and  happy,  and 
that  her  future  husband  would  be  great  and  powerful 
and  love  her  always. 

Helene  listened  patiently  with  a  smile.  She  knew 
the  tribe  and  knew  also  that  it  would  be  her  comfort 

228 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       229 

and  peace  of  mind  if  she  said  nothing  but  appeared 
interested.  Besides,  the  girl  was  really  shrewd  and  very 
amusing.  Without  her  chatter,  life  in  the  castle  would 
have  been  like  that  of  a  nunnery.  For  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  place  was  heavy  with  ceremonies  and  for- 
malities. Helene's  free  spirit  soon  felt  the  restraint 
keenly.  She  learned  that  it  was  not  proper  to  speak 
except  in  subdued  tones,  and  then  only  of  insipid  mat- 
ters. Laughter  was  rarely  indulged  in,  for  the  Mis- 
tress of  the  Ceremonies  ruled  with  an  iron  hand.  Her 
first,  brief  interview  with  this  handsome  and  stately 
dame  was  an  experience  she  had  no  desire  to  renew. 
She  felt  that  she  had  been  in  a  gigantic,  upholstered 
refrigerator  after  she  had  been  permitted  to  retire 
from  that  august  presence. 

Helene  sat  in  her  pretty  boudoir  thinking  of  her 
father.  Mr.  Tyler  had  called  the  day  before  to  tell  her 
that  he  had  received  a  wire  from  Brindisi  advising 
that  a  letter  was  on  the  way.  She  was  expecting  him. 
Oh,  if  only  her  dear  father  were  with  her — how  dif- 
ferent things  would  be !  She  pictured  his  meeting  with 
the  fat  Dowager  and  almost  laughed  aloud.  How  ex- 
quisitely polite  he  would  be  and  yet  how  finely  inde- 
pendent !  She  could  almost  see  the  twinkle  in  his  eyes 
at  the  air  these  princelets  gave  themselves.  She  hoped 
it  would  not  be  long  before  he  would  come  and  take 
her  away  from  these  Arctic  regions  to  a  quiet  and 
sunny  retreat  where  they  could  be  alone  together  in 
freedom  and  happiness.  When  would  he  come  ?  Her 
eyes  fell  on  a  little  side-table  on  which  stood  a  Dres- 
den vase  with  a  cluster  of  roses  in  it.  Ah,  and  Mr. 
Morton,  would  she  ever  meet  him  again  ?  They  were 
the  roses  he  had  sent  her,  full-blown  and  withering 
now,  the  flowers  hanging  on  wilted  stalks  in  spite  of 
the  care  Josephine  had  bestowed  on  them. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  and  the  fading  light 


230       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

of  the  short  autumn  day  spread  a  gloom  through  the 
room.  She  rose  and  switched  on  the  electric  lights  of 
the  candelabra,  and  turning  to  put  the  blinds  down, 
she  almost  ran  into  the  outstretched  arms  of  a  slender 
prim  woman  rustling  towards  her  in  silk.  Helene  gave 
a  glad  cry. 

"Anna !  dear  Anna,  where  do  you  come  from  ?" 

"Ach,  mein  Liebchen,  but  it  is  good  to  see  you," 
and  the  elderly  woman  embraced  and  kissed  her  over 
and  over  again,  the  tears  running  down  her  face. 
"Forgive  me,  Comtesse,"  she  begged,  releasing  the 
girl,  "but  I  could  not  help  it.  I  wanted  to  see  you 
again." 

"Oh,  Anna,  I  am  so  glad  you  are  here,  so  glad. 
Now  that  I  have  my  dear  nurse  again,  all  will  be  well." 

"Why,  my  little  lamb,  what  is  the  matter  ?  Are  you 
sick  or  lonely  or  unhappy?  Of  course,  everything  will 
be  well.  I  am  going  to  stay  with  you,  my  little  golden 
mistress.  I  only  just  heard  of  the  Princess's  arrival, 
and  did  not  lose  a  minute  getting  here.  Certainly  all 
will  be  well  now." 

Helene  looked  at  the  dear  face  of  her  second  mother, 
and  felt  so  comforted  that  she  believed  a  Providence 
had  sent  the  good  woman  to  her.  How  good  it  was  to 
be  loved  and  to  have  some  one  near  you  in  whom  you 
could  trust  and  to  whom  you  could  tell  the  doubts  that 
•were  racking  your  heart ! 

"But  how  do  you  happen  to  be  in  Weimar,  Anna?" 

The  question  was  sufficient  to  open  the  sluices  of  the 
nurse's  reservoir  of  talk ;  she  talked  so  rapidly  that  she 
barely  gave  herself  time  to  catch  her  breath.  She  was 
married  now — to  Anton  Schreiber — Anton  had  been 
chief  valet  to  His  Highness,  the  old  Duke.  They  lived 
now  in  Altenburg,  in  a  beautiful  cottage  with  a  lovely 
garden.  Oh,  and  they  were  happy  and  comfortably 
off,  what  with  her  savings  and  Anton's.  She  had  come. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       231 

to  Weimar  to  visit  her  niece,  Josephine.  Why  the  very 
Josephine  who  attended  on  her  sweet  lambkin!  Of 
course !  And,  oh,  how  her  darling  had  grown !  How 
beautiful  and  grand  she  looked!  And  what  lovely 
hair!  How  long  was  it  since  she  had  seen  her?  Yes 
— three  years.  Dear,  dear,  how  time  does  fly!  And 
what  had  she  been  doing?  And  what  brought  her  to 
Weimar  ? 

Helene  waited  patiently,  smiling  delightedly  all  the 
time.  However,  the  good  lady's  breath  gave  out,  at 
last,  and  Helene  had  the  opportunity  to  open  up  her 
heart's  woes.  She  was  so  unhappy  in  the  castle,  she 
explained. 

"My  dear/'  replied  the  nurse  promptly,  "take  no 
notice  of  the  people — they're  not  worth  it.  And  we'll 
begin  at  once."  She  rose  up  quickly  and  ringing  for 
Josephine  said  to  her,  "Tell  the  man  to  serve  dinner 
here  for  two.  I  am  dining  with  the  Comtesse. — 
There,"  she  turned  to  Helene,  "we'll  make  ourselves  at 
home,  and  do  as  we  like." 

Helene  was  astonished  to  find  how  easily  it  could 
be  done.  She  spent  one  of  the  happiest  evenings  in 
her  life  with  this  nurse,  waited  on  and  served  by  the 
lackey  who  looked  to  her  the  reflection  of  the  fearful 
formality  of  the  dining-room  below.  The  hours  passed 
so  pleasantly  that  she  knew  not  they  were  passing,  and 
was  surprised  to  find  that  it  was  time  to  retire  for  the 
night. 

Even  then  Anna  would  not  be  gainsaid ;  she  must  put 
her  darling  to  bed  and  see  that  she  was  snug  and  com- 
fortable. 

"You  are  so  like  your  sainted  mother,"  Anna  would 
say  over  and  over  again,  as  she  helped  her  to  undress. 
And  Helene  would  cry  only  to  be  soothed  again  by 
gentle  caresses  and  soft  murmuring  words.  It  was 
just  like  the  days  of  her  childhood  when  Anna  would 


232       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

send  her  to  sleep  with  plaintive  songs  and  tales  of 
"Red  Riding  Hood,"  and  "Aladdin's  Wonderful 
Lamp.'*  And  when  at  last  she  fell  asleep — she  slept 
without  a  dream,  the  peaceful,  happy  sleep  of  a 
child. 

The  next  morning1,  early,  Anna  was  at  the  bedside 
to  see  to  Helene's  wants.  She  insisted  on  dividing 
Josephine's  duties  and  taking  it  upon  herself  to  dress 
her  "baby,"  as  she  called  her. 

"Isn't  she  the  loveliest  child  you  ever  saw?"  she 
asked  of  Josephine.  Josephine  agreed  laughingly. 

"Ah,  there  isn't  a  beauty  like  this  in  any  other  part 
of  the  Schloss.  Won't  those  dry  old  maids  be  jealous ! 
They've  no  chance  for  a  husband  with  our  little  girl, 
have  they,  Josephine?" 

"No,  indeed,"  asserted  that  demoiselle.  "They're 
sour  enough  to  frighten  any  man  away — the  cats!" 

Helene  was  overcome  with  her  blushes  at  the  irre- 
sponsible twittering  of  the  two  women,  and  begged 
them  to  spare  her  feelings.  But  she  couldn't  close  their 
mouths — they  had  not  had  such  an  opportunity  in 
which  to  indulge  themselves  in  many  a  day.  Josephine 
went  so  far  even  as  to  hint  of  a  beau,  at  which  Anna 
bridled  up.  Beau,  indeed !  Her  darling  had  no  thought 
of  beaux.  How  could  she,  at  her  age — only  nineteen— 
the  dear,  sweet  lamb ! 

Helene  really  was  relieved  when  the  time  came  for 
the  two  to  retire.  She  was  impatient,  too,  for  Mr. 
Tyler  to  come.  It  was  an  anxious  moment  for  her 
when  his  card  was  brought  up.  He  came  in  quietly, 
a  gentle,  sad  smile  on  his  distinguished  face.  She 
could  not  restrain  herself,  and  made  a  quick  move- 
ment towards  him,  her  eyes  streaming  the  question 
that  her  open  lips  could  not  utter.  With  grave  cour- 
tesy he  took  both  her  hands  very  affectionately  in  his 
and  led  her  to  a  seat.  And  then  he  told  her  the  sad 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       233 

news — told  it  with  all  the  kindliness  and  tenderness 
of  his  finely  sympathetic  heart.  The  truth  could  not 
be  hidden,  but  he  softened  its  harshness  as  only  a  prac- 
tised diplomatist  like  he  could  do.  And  yet  the  truth 
was  bitter.  His  heart  went  out  to  the  poor  orphaned 
girl  for  whom  he  had  now  come  to  feel  a  father's  affec- 
tion. It  was  very  painful  to  see  her  suffering1.  At  first 
she  could  not  believe  what  she  heard,  and  stood  gazing 
with  wide  eyes  unable  to  move.  But  under  Mr.  Tyler's 
gentle  words,  she  broke  down  utterly  and  sobbed  as 
if  her  heart  had  burst.  Fortunately,  Anna  came  in, 
and  carried  her  darling  to  her  bedroom. 

Mr.  Tyler  told  Anna  to  tell  the  Comtesse  that  he 
would  look  after  everything,  and  would  call  later  in 
the  day,  when  he  expected  to  bring  with  him  Count 
Rondell's  papers  and  last  letters.  He  would  remain 
in  Weimar  a  few  days  longer,  and  would  hold  himself 
at  the  Comtesse's  orders.  "And  give  this  letter,"  he 
added,  "to  the  Comtesse.  It  is  from  a  friend.  She 
will  be  glad  to  receive  it." 

It  was,  indeed,  a  Providence  that  had  sent  her  nurse 
to  her  at  this  juncture;  for  Count  Rondell's  death  had 
left  Helene  practically  alone  in  the  world.  It  is  not 
well  to  linger  over  such  agonies  as  the  poor  girl  en- 
dured. They  are  the  common  lot  of  our  humanity. 
Happy  are  they  whom  they  leave  unbroken  in  spirit — 
it  is  those  they  strike  down  who  are  to  be  pitied.  Hel- 
ene was  of  the  sterner  stuff,  and  she  was  helped  by  her 
nurse.  Nothing  softens  sorrow  as  love  does — and 
of  love  Anna's  motherly  bosom  was  filled  abundantly. 
Herself  childless,  she  had  it  all  to  give  to  this  child 
of  her  adoption — and  she  gave  it  freely,  with  a  large 
measure. 

The  Princess,  also,  when  she  heard  the  sad  tidings, 
came  to  her  full  of  affectionate  sympathy;  but,  alas, 
what  could  she  do  to  help  her  friend !  She  was  an  exile 
16 


234       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

now — a  nobody.     She  would  see  that  the  presentation 
was  put  off. 

"Oh,  my  dear,"  she  cried,  with  tears  in  her  eyes, 
"If  we  only  had  some  wise  and  powerful  friend!  We 
are  both  of  us  dependent  on  the  charity  of  strangers." 

A  friend's  troubles  act  as  a  salve  to  our  own 
troubles,  as  fire  extinguishes  fire,  and  in  her  loyalty  to 
the  Princess,  Helene  realized  that  she  was  not  alone  in 
her  sorrow.  The  two  girls  thus  helped  each  other  in 
their  hour  of  need. 

Mr.  Tyler  kept  his  word  and  came,  courteously  kind 
and  sympathetic  as  always.  He  had  seen  to  everything. 
He  brought  with  him  a  considerable  sum  of  money— 
her  father's  possession — and  he  proposed  to  deposit 
that  in  the  local  bank  in  the  Comtesse's  name.  There 
were  a  few  formalities  to  be  gone  through  in  that  mat- 
ter, and  he  had  brought  Herr  Blume  of  the  Laender- 
bank  to  witness  her  signature  to  some  documents. 

Mr.  Tyler  reassured  her  of  his  devotion  and  begged 
her  to  keep  her  courage — for  her  father's  sake. 

"You  owe  it  to  him,  Comtesse,"  he  said,  "as  his 
daughter.  Here  in  this  package  you  will  find  his  let- 
ters. They  will  tell  you  everything  you  ought  to 
know." 

She  took  the  package  reverently. 

"I  do  not  know  how  to  thank  you,  dear  sir,  for  all 
you  have  done.  I  shall  never  forget  it." 

Mr.  Tyler  smiled,  and  with  the  liberty  of  his  years, 
bent  over  and  kissed  her  hair.  "Fear  not,  be  of  good 
heart,  and  all  will  be  well.  Good-by,  and  God  bless 
you." 

For  some  minutes  she  sat  alone,  staring  straight  be- 
fore her  with  unseeing  eyes,  her  fingers  playing  ner- 
vously with  the  package  on  her  knees.  Then  slowly  she 
broke  the  seals  and  listlessly  removed  the  contents  of 
a  small  box. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       235 

She  found  in  it  her  father's  watch,  some  rings,  a 
small  locket  containing  a  miniature  of  her  mother,  a 
bundle  of  letters  tied  with  a  faded  ribbon  and  inscribed, 
"To  my  daughter — to  be  retained,  but  not  read,"  and 
three  envelopes,  two  of  which  were  sealed  and  ad- 
dressed to  her. 

The  sight  of  the  trinkets  moved  her  deeply,  especially 
the  wedding  ring.  She  took  them  into  her  bedroom 
and  sat  down  near  the  window.  Taking  one  of  the 
envelopes,  dated  October  — ,  she  broke  the  seal  and 
read.  It  seemed  to  her  as  if  she  were  holding  a  com- 
munion with  the  spirit  of  her  father — as  if  she  were 
listening  to  a  message  from  the  grave : 

"My  most  beloved  child,"  it  began : 

"The  mission  I  had  undertaken  has  failed;  my  journey 
ended  in  nothing.  It  has  left  me  so  enfeebled  that  I  am 
not  able  to  move  with  any  freedom  from  pain.  The  doctor 
tells  me  I  am  very  ill,  and  I  realize  that  I  am  a  doomed  man. 

"How  long  a  time  is  still  left  me  I  know  not;  but  I  must 
write  to  you  while  I  still  have  the  strength.  If  this  letter 
should  reach  you,  you  will  know  that  I  have  not  been  vouch- 
safed the  blessing  of  coming  to  you  myself. 

"And  in  this  there  is  no  cause  for  either  tears  or  mourning. 
I  ran  a  good  race  and  have  reached  the  goal.  My  one  great 
grief  is  born  of  the  knowledge  of  the  pain  my  going  will 
give  you,  my  dearest  child.  You  are  so  young  to  be  left 
friendless  in  this  world ! 

"But  I  have  arranged  with  my  dear  friend,  Baron  Robert 
de  Haas,  to  undertake  your  guardianship.  He  is  in  posses- 
sion of  my  will.  You  know  him  and  like  him.  He  is  a  man 
of  noble  mind  and  large  heart  and  he  will  take  my  place 
worthily.  I  cannot  leave  you  riches,  my  darling,  but  I  com- 
•fort  myself  with  the  thought  that  you  will  not  regret  that 
fact.  What  I  have  is  yours,  and,  with  Baron  de  Haas's  help, 
it  will  be  sufficient  to  keep  you  independent  and  free  from 
want.  For  the  rest  you  will,  I  know,  bravely  work  out  your 
destiny  in  your  own  way. 

"And  now,  dear  one  of  my  heart,  a  few  last  words  from 
your  father.  A  woman  was  created  by  God  to  be  the  mate  of 
a  man — a  good  man.  If,  as  I  fervently  pray,  such  a  man 


236       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

should  enter  your  life  and  win  your  love,  think  of  your  gra- 
cious mother  to  whose  influence  I  owe  so  much.  A  man 
deserving  of  your  love  should  be  honorable  in  the  absolute 
sense  of  that  word — a  gentleman,  not  in  title,  but  in  thought 
and  deed.  He  must  be  such  that  you  will  always  be  proud 
of  him  and  proud  to  be  the  mother  of  his  children,  if  God  so 
give  it.  You  will  recognize  him  by  these  signs :  that  he  is  a 
good  son  to  his  parents,  loyal  to  his  country  and  God  and 
proud  of  his  honor.  And  i'f  I  have  judged  my  child  aright, 
you  will  deserve  him.  In  body  and  in  mind,  you  are  your 
mother  over  again,  and  the  earth  knew  not  her  like  in  beauty 
of  form  and  nobility  of  spirit. 

"Forgive  me  for  seeming  to  preach —  Your  happiness  is 
so  close  to  my  heart.  You  have  been  the  reward  of  my  life, 
my  pride  and  my  joy.  May  you  find  peace  and  love  all  your 
life.  I  am  holding  you  in  my  arms  as  I  write  these  last 
words : 

"Mein  Liebchen — Good-bye,  until  we  meet  again  in  God's 
own  good  time.  «YouR  FATHER.» 

A  postscript,  dated  the  same  month  and  written  at 
Suez,  followed: 

"I  have  "forgotten  my  illness  in  my  anxiety  about  you. 
Word  has  just  reached  me  that  de  Haas  is  no  more,  and  I 
know  not  now  to  whom  to  turn.  With  this  news  came  terri- 
ble tidings  of  the  happenings  in  our  poor,  stricken  Roumelia. 
I  am  so  far  from  you  and  cannot  help  you.  God  alone  must 
help — and  He  will. 

"I  think  it  was  God's  Providence  that  sent  me  Mr.  John 
Morton,  a  young  American.  He  agreed,  last  night,  to  take 
my  place  and  go  to  Roumelia  and  rescue  you  from  the 
clutches  of  those  rebels.  He  is  to  bring  you  and  Princess 
Marie-Louise  to  Weimar.  If  he  succeeds,  and  I  am  confident 
he  will,  let  him  guide  you  in  your  next  step.  He  is  a  gentle- 
man, and  he  can  help  you.  You  may  rely  on  his  word  and, 
if  I  am  a  judge  oi  human  nature,  he  will  not  fail  you. 

"It  is  useless  to  say  much — and  needless  to  say  more. 

"If  I  could  have  come  myself,  I  would  not  have  sent  a 
substitute. 

"May  God  take  you  under  His  protection." 

Helene's  face  was  bathed  in  tears.  It  was  with 
trembling  hands  that  she  opened  the  second  letter.  The 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       237 

handwriting  was  feebler  and  the  lines  very  uneven. 
Evidently,  her  father  had  written  it  under  great  mental 
stress. 

"BRINDISI,  November  6,  189 — 
"Mv  DARLING  CHILD: 

"Mr.  Morton  left  two  days  ago  for  Roumelia  with  my 
prayers.  I  have  heard  no  news  oi  what  is  happening  there 
and  I  fear  the  worst. 

"My  strength  is  'failing  fast  and  the  doctor  sent  me  from 
Rome  by  my  American  friend  has  been  very  frank  with  me. 
I  have  but  a  few  days  more  in  which  to  live. 

"As  I  am  still  able  to  think  clearly  and  write,  I  must  make 
full  use  of  the  time  left  me.  I  omitted  to  tell  you  in  my 
previous  letter  something  which  I  think  you  ought  to  know. 
When  I  first  spoke  to  Mr.  Morton  of  going  to  Roumelia,  I 
spoke  on  behalf  of  the  Princess.  He  refused  absolutely  to 
undertake  the  journey  or  to  mix  in  any  way  with  the  political 
affairs  of  the  country.  Indeed,  he  was  indignant  with  me 
for  what  he  considered  my  presumption  in  asking  him  to 
engage  himself  in  an  enterprise  of  such  danger  and  risk. 
His  first  duty  was  to  his  parents  and  he  was  called  to  them. 
I  was  not  surprised  at  his  attitude,  but  I  had  no  alternative. 

"It  was  during  my  pleading  that  I  accidentally  uncovered 
a  portrait  of  yourself,  and,  to  my  utter  astonishment,  he  sud- 
denly changed  his  mind  and  accepted  the  task.  I  tell  you  this 
because  I  think  you  should  know  it.  The  man  is  a  noble 
fellow.  I  feel  that  in  my  heart.  If  he  should  succeed  in  his 
mission  and  you  are  once  more  free,  do  not  hesitate  to  accept 
his  friendship.  If  I  knew  that  you  would  do  this  I  should  die 
the  happier  for  knowing  it. 

"I  can  say  no  more,  but  pray  and  hope. 

"God  bless  you  and  protect  you,  dearest." 

The  third  unsealed  envelope  contained  a  simple  note 
written  in  a  strange,  feminine  hand,  in  French. 

"BRINDISI,  November  14,  189 — 

"I  am  Paola  Rimoni,  nurse  and  attendant  to  his  Excel- 
lency Count  Rondell-Barton  who  has  requested  me  to  write 
down  his  last  words,  as  follows : 

"A  telegram  from  Monsieur  Morton  has  just  arrived  an- 
nouncing that  his  party  has  safely  crossed  the  border.  The 


238       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

man  has  justified  my  faith  in  him.  May  God  reward  and 
bless  him. 

"I  send  my  daughter  my  blessing  and  my  dearest  love.  I  die 
happy  knowing  that  she  is  safe. 

"My  gratitude  to  Monsieur  Morton,  my  homage  to  Her 
Highness,  my  last  kiss  and  blessing  to  my  beloved  child. 
Koumelia  "forever !" 

Below  was  scrawled  in  letters  that  were  barely  de- 
cipherable— "Rondell." 

Helene  was  too  overcome  to  move  from  where  she 
sat.  Through  the  window  came  the  pale  light  of  the 
waning  day  tinged  with  the  red  of  the  sinking  sun. 
The  room  was  filling  with  deep  shadows.  She  saw 
nothing.  Darkness  seemed  to  have  fallen  on  her. 
Slipping  to  her  knees  she  laid  her  aching  head  upon  the 
seat  and  prayed  inwardly,  the  while  the  scalding  tears 
fell  down  her  cheeks.  It  was  thus  that  the  faithful 
Anna  found  her  an  hour  later. 

The  first  great  sorrow  of  youth  is  the  inheritance  of 
tears  that  have  fallen  before.  It  is  the  burden  of  ex- 
istence for  an  erring  humanity.  It  means  and  must 
ever  mean  that  the  blood  which  has  flowed  from  others' 
hearts  is  the  blood  which  will  flow  from  our  own.  One 
generation  must  depart  to  make  room  for  a  generation 
to  come;  and  the  burden  of  sorrow  we  have  received 
from  those  who  have  gone  before  us  we  shall  pass  on 
to  those  who  come  after  us.  Happy  are  they  who  can 
weep  in  their  sorrow,  for  tears  are  a  blood-letting  of 
the  spirit. 

When  she  opened  her  eyes  in  the  morning  they  fell 
on  the  Dresden  vase  now  bereft  of  its  flowers — the 
petals  lay  scattered  on  the  table  and  carpet,  and  only 
dried  stalks  showed  where  a  few  days  ago  glowed  the 
red  damask  of  roses.  Was  this  to  be  an  omen  of  her 
own  life?  She  shivered  at  the  question.  Rising 
quickly  she  gathered  the  petals  with  loving  care,  and 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       239 

taking  the  dried  stems  from  the  vase  placed  both  in 
a  drawer  of  her  dressing-table.  She  knew  now  that 
her  heart  lay  with  the  faded  leaves. 

She  remembered  the  letter  Mr.  Tyler  had  left  with 
Anna.  It  was  a  message  from  the  man  whom  her 
father  had  blessed  with  his  dying  words.  So  he  was 
going — sailing  over  the  ocean  to  that  far  country  where 
was  his  home.  Would  he,  too,  lose  his  father  ?  How 
cruel  life  was?  He  had  signed  himself,  "in  deepest 
sympathy  and  devotion."  The  words  were  like  balm  to 
her  sore  heart.  No — she  was  not  alone  in  the  gray 
world !  And  the  sunlight  of  the  morning  was  repeated 
in  her  smile. 

In  the  company  of  her  faithful  nurse,  Helene  trav- 
eled the  short  distance  to  Sigmaringen,  the  home  town 
of  her  mother's  family,  to  attend  her  father's  funeral. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tyler  were  present,  and  their  presence 
helped  her  not  a  little  to  bear  the  trial.  On  her  return 
she  found  Donald  waiting  for  her  at  the  railway  sta- 
tion. Her  heart  gave  a  bound  when  she  saw  his  lanky 
figure  and  hard  yet  kindly  face.  The  sight  of  him 
comforted  her  greatly,  and  she  was  glad  to  accept  his 
escort  to  the  Schloss. 

The  next  day  she  was  compelled  to  undergo  the 
trial  of  an  interview  with  the  Mistress  of  the  Cere- 
monies, Baroness  Radau.  It  was  necessary  that  she 
should  be  coached  in  the  duties  incumbent  on  a  lady 
of  the  Court  of  Saxe- Weimar.  While  expressing  sym- 
pathy for  her  in  her  bereavement,  the  majestic  dame 
admonished  her  to  repress  her  grief.  It  was  not 
proper  to  show  undue  emotion.  She  must  read  the 
lives  of  the  forty-nine  dukes  of  the  blessed  realm  and 
become  acquainted  with  the  works  of  Goethe  and 
Schiller,  who  were  the  glory  of  Weimar.  It  would 
also  be  very  necessary  for  her  to  know  the  proper  way 
to  bow  and  the  precedence  of  rank;  and,  above  all, 


240       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

she  must  never  forget  that  next  to  God  came  Duke 
Ernest  Victor  the  Seventeenth. 

On  account  of  her  mourning,  the  color  of  her  pres- 
entation dress  was  to  be  a  subdued  gray,  under  a 
special  dispensation.  It  would  be  of  the  regulation 
style.  Perfumes  were  permitted,  but  only  of  a  particu- 
lar kind.  Her  Highness  did  not  favor  any  but  that  of 
lilac.  Her  hair  must  be  plainly  arranged  and  drawn 
tight  and  smooth  across  the  brow.  She  might  wear 
pearls. 

The  day  of  the  ordeal  of  the  Presentation  came  at 
last.  She  went  to  it  with  the  greatest  trepidation  and 
returned  from  it  almost  prostrated  from  the  strain  of 
waiting  her  turn.  She  had  been  permitted  to  touch  the 
gloved  hand  of  the  voluminous  Dowager  and  the  hands 
of  the  reigning  Duke's  consort  and  her  own  Princess. 
Poor  little  Marie-Louise  looked  like  a  martyr  waiting 
to  be  led  to  the  stake  as  she  stood  on  a  slightly  lower 
dais  than  that  on  which  the  Dowager  sat,  dressed  in 
stiff  silk  weighted  with  gold  embroidery.  When  Hel- 
ene  approached  her,  she  cast  big  sad  eyes  on  her  friend 
like  those  of  a  doe  flying  from  the  hunters. 

Having  been  presented,  Helene  was  now  permitted 
the  freedom  of  the  Court.  Her  duties  were  simple 
but  weariedly  monotonous.  They  amounted  to  a  regu- 
lated routine  of  formality  and  enforced  idleness.  She 
was  permitted  to  appear  in  white  or  gray  at  the  gath- 
erings, but  at  the  Chapel,  which  she  attended  twice  a 
week,  she  was  allowed  to  wear  black.  She  was  de- 
prived of  Josephine's  services  and  given  in  her  stead 
a  soured  old  maid,  who  was  far  more  experienced  and 
would  be  able  to  instruct  her  in  the  punctillios  of  the 
Court.  Anna  was  no  longer  in  Weimar;  she  had  gone 
back  to  her  little  cottage  and  her  beloved  Anton. 

But  there  was  one  pleasant  interlude  in  the  dreary 
round  of  her  week's  life,  and  it  came  to  her  on  her 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       241 

way  to  and  from  Chapel.  On  these  occasions  she 
would  find  McCormick  waiting  for  her  at  the  castle 
gate  to  learn  of  her  health  and  to  know  if  he  could 
be  of  any  service  to  her.  Sometimes,  after  service  was 
over,  she  would  invite  him  to  accompany  her  in  her 
promenade  round  the  Square  within  sight  of  the 
Schloss.  On  those  occasions  she  would  lead  him  to 
talk  of  his  master,  a  subject  on  which  Don  was  ever 
ready  to  descant.  She  would  listen  to  him  with  down- 
cast eyes,  but  with  secret  delight.  These  talks  added 
fuel  to  the  flame  in  her  heart  and  warmed  her  lonely 
spirit. 

Winter  came,  and  with  it  the  snow,  which  buried  the 
little  Thuringian  castle  in  its  white  mantle.  The  mo- 
notony of  her  life  palled  more  and  more  on  her  since 
she  was  now  deprived  of  her  walks.  Occasionally  a 
letter  from  Mr.  Tyler  and  Anna  would  come  as  a  ray 
of  sunshine. 

One  never-to-be-forgotten  day  she  received  a  box 
which,  when  she  opened  it,  she  found  filled  her  chamber 
with  the  delicious  scent  of  flowers.  They  were  orchids 
of  the  purest  white,  sent  by  Morton.  "Heartiest  good 
wishes  to  you  on  your  birthday.  May  you  see  many, 
many  more  in  health  and  happiness."  The  words 
were  inscribed  on  his  card.  She  had  not  realized  that 
this  was  the  last  day  in  November,  and  that  she  was 
now  twenty.  That  morning  at  the  levee  she  attracted 
the  curious  glances  of  the  women  by  the  lovely  orchids 
she  wore  at  her  breast.  Not  a  few  whispered  malicious 
insinuations  to  each  other. 

Helene  had  but  few  opportunities  of  meeting  her 
friend,  the  Princess.  When  she  did  she  found  her  very 
unhappy.  The  poor  girl  had  been  made  to  feel  her 
equivocal  position  at  the  Court,  where  she  was  treated 
as  though  she  had  come  there  uninvited.  She  had  no 
means  of  her  own,  and  this  compelled  her  to  be  depen- 


242       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

dent  on  the  good-will  of  people  who,  though  royal  in 
blood,  were  very  mean  in  spirit,  especially  where  money 
was  concerned.  There  is  no  king  so  pompous  as  the 
kinglet,  and  as  a  consequence  he  attracts  to  him  the 
effete  and  the  provincial  in  mind — men  who  will  cringe 
and  fawn  and  flatter,  and  women  whose  only  enjoy- 
ment is  in  gossip  and  slander.  It  was  from  the  latter 
especially  that  the  Princess  suffered — and  Helene  also. 

With  the  coming  of  December  came  preparations 
for  the  Christmas  festivities.  The  Court  was  all  agog, 
Helene  excited  with  the  rest.  She  had  a  better  oppor- 
tunity to  know  the  "noble  ladies"  now.  In  mixing 
with  them  she  occasionally  caught  whispers  about 
"Americans,"  and  people  who  sacrificed  their  pride  of 
descent  on  the  altar  of  money.  And  she  would  notice 
that  they  cast  side  glances  at  her  as  they  spoke.  She 
did  not  altogether  comprehend  the  meaning  of  their 
attitude,  but  she  realized  vaguely  that  she  had  become 
a  persona  non  grata  with  these  high-born  tatlers,  and, 
as  a  consequence,  her  unhappiness  increased.  She 
thoughts  of  her  bank  account.  Perhaps  these  women 
had  found  out  about  it!  Surely,  it  had  been  her 
father's  money  that  Mr.  Tyler  had  brought  her !  The 
half  question  brought  a  doubt.  Had  Mr.  Morton  sent 
it  ?  How  absurd !  And  yet — yet — he  was  so  generous. 
She  would  speak  with  the  Princess  about  it. 

The  two  girls  talked  it  over  and  even  went  into 
calculations,  in  their  simple  way,  as  to  the  cost  of  the 
expedition  Morton  had  undertaken.  They  were  forced 
to  the  conclusion  that  Morton  must  have  borne  that 
himself;  nay,  that  it  was  to  his  generosity  they  owed 
the  very  clothes  they  wore.  Now  they  understood  the 
dark  references  to  "Americans"  and  money.  Helene 
determined  to  find  out  the  truth  by  writing  to  Mr. 
Tyler. 

The  reply  she  received  did  not  clear  the  matter,    Mr, 


• 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       243 

Tyler  thought  she  was  making  a  mountain  out  of  a 
mole-hill.  She  had  far  better  leave  well  alone.  So  far 
as  he  knew,  the  moneys  he  had  brought  her  came  from 
her  father.  It  could  not  be  otherwise  since  they  were 
drawn  out  of  the  Banca  Nationale,  where  they  had 
been  deposited  in  Count  Rondell's  name.  He  expected 
Mr.  Morton's  arrival  early  next  month,  and  no  doubt 
he  would  call  on  her.  He  advised  her  to  forget  the 
matter  until  then. 

Helene  was  torn  by  doubt,  and  humiliated  in  her 
pride.    She  did  not  know  what  to  do  nor  where  to  turn. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

CHRISTMAS  morning-  came  and  with  it  came 
another  box  of  flowers — glorious  roses,  this 
time,  of  a  deep  red  and  of  a  scent  breathing 
sympathy  to  the  lonely  girl.  Enclosed  was  a  card 
bearing  the  one  word,  "Greetings."  She  pressed  the 
lovely  flowers  to  her  face  as  if  kissing  the  hand  that 
had  sent  them.  The  contact  with  the  velvet  petals 
soothed  her  troubled  spirits.  When  she  met  Donald 
that  day  she  asked  after  his  master.  Don  shook  his 
head — he  had  nothing  to  tell  her. 

"Why  are  you  still  in  Weimar,  McCormick?"  she 
said. 

McCormick  grinned.  "Weimar  is  all  right,  Miss," 
he  said,  "and  I've  no  home  to  go  to.  Besides,  orders 
are  orders,  Miss,  and  I've  got  to  stay  here  in  case  you 
might  need  me.  Say  the  word,  Miss,  and  I'll  be  ready." 

She  thanked  him  with  a  pathetic  little  smile.  The 
roses  and  Don's  words  were  enough  for  one  day. 
She  re-entered  the  castle  thinking  that  her  Christmas 
had  been  a  very  happy  one. 

The  next  day  the  Princess  came  into  her  room 
looking  greatly  distressed  and  holding  a  periodical 
in  her  hand,  which  she  held  out  to  Helene. 

"Here,"  she  said,  "is  the  explanation  of  the  ma- 
licious gossip."  It  was  a  copy  of  an  English  society 
paper,  three  weeks  old,  which  an  English  friend  had 
sent  the  Princess.  It  contained  a  scurrilous  article 
dealing  with  Morton  and  his  adventure  with  the  two 
ladies  in  Roumelia.  As  Helene  read  her  heart  seemed 
to  turn  to  a  stone — a  feeling  of  nausea  overcame  her. 

244 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       245 

After  stating  the  fact  of  their  escape  from  Roume- 
lia,  the  article  went  on  to  say  that  Morton,  the  hero 
of  the  adventure,  had  received  but  scant  courtesy 
from  the  two  ladies.  They  treated  him  with  cold 
indifference,  scarcely  deigning  to  hold  any  conversa- 
tion with  him.  As  for  Count  Rondell-Barton,  who 
was  supposed  to  have  planned  and  financed  the  expe- 
dition, he  could  not  have  been  very  active  in  the  mat- 
ter, since  so  far  from  being  on  the  Roumelian  border, 
he  never  came  closer  to  it  than  Brindisi.  When, 
however,  the  proud  ladies  arrived  in  Vienna  and 
learned  from  the  American  Minister  to  Germany  who 
and  what  their  rescuer,  Mr.  Morton,  was,  their  whole 
bearing  and  attitude  towards  that  gentleman  changed 
entirely.  They  became  as  friendly  then  as  they  had 
been  cool  before.  The  millionaire  was  quite  a  dif- 
ferent person  from  the  stranger  who  had  risked  his 
life  for  them.  What  a  tale  Mr.  Morton  would  have 
to  tell  when  he  went  back  to  America ;  and  what  would 
he  think  of  Europe's  nobility ! 

And  now,  as  she  had  finished  the  vile  writing,  she 
was  filled  with  indignation. 

"Who  inspired  this  disgraceful  composition?"  she 
asked  her  friend.  The  Princess  shook  her  head. 

"I  spoke  to  Count  Radau  about  it  and  he  said 
that  no  one  would  pay  any  attention  to  what  this 
paper  printed.  It  had  a  bad  reputation  in  England 
and,  no  doubt,  lived  on  purveying  this  kind  of 
stuff  to  readers  who  like  it.  He  advised  me  to 
forget  it." 

"But  it's  such  a  tissue  of  lies  and  misrepresenta- 
tions," cried  Helene  in  her  anger. 

"I  know;  but  that's  the  way  these  vile  creatures 
live — by  debasing  their  talents." 

"Oh,  it  is  too  terrible.  I  shall  be  ashamed  to  show 
my  face  anywhere  now." 


246       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

"We  cannot  help  ourselves,  dear  Helene;  we  must 
bear  up  in  the  hope  that  the  good  taste  of  the  Court 
will  leave  us  free  from  gossip."  The  Princess  spoke 
lightly,  but  in  her  heart  she  was  deeply  chagrined  and 
distressed. 

As  for  Helene,  she  could  not  put  the  thing  out  of 
her  mind.  It  was  as  if  she  had  been  soiled  with  the 
mud  of  the  streets.  She  never,  for  one  moment,  be- 
lieved that  Mr.  Morton  had  had  anything  to  do  with 
it.  Some  enemy  of  her  father's  must  have  in- 
spired it,  she  thought.  What  a  cruel  thing  to  do! 
What  degradation  of  mind  to  sell  itself  to  such  a 
service ! 

It  was  with  a  breast  filled  with  indignation  and 
pride  that  Helene  attended  the  gathering  in  the  small 
reception-room,  that  afternoon,  to  take  her  part  in 
the  Christmas-tree  ceremony.  She  stood  a  little  way 
from  the  rest  as  they  waited  the  arrival  of  "their 
highnesses."  There  was  much  chattering  going  on 
and  not  a  little  simpering  and  giggling  among  the  less 
reserved  women  who  had  evidently  come  to  enjoy 
themselves.  She  could  not  help  noticing  one  particu- 
lar gentleman  who  passed  as  a  wit  among  these  light- 
headed ones  and  was  the  centre  of  a  bevy  of  dames 
all  seemingly  delighted  at  some  of  his  witticisms. 
And  then  she  heard  an  ample  young  countess  remark 
that  the  Hebe  from  the  Balkans  was  not  interested  in 
cutting  them  out — she  was  too  much  taken  up  with 
Mr.  Moneybags  from  America. 

Helene  turned  white  and  grasped  the  balustrade  of 
the  nearby  stairway.  She  could  scarcely  stand  on 
her  legs  and  her  bosom  heaved  from  her  labored 
breathing. 

An  elderly  lady,  a  Madame  de  Martis,  had  also 
heard  the  words  and  saw  the  girl's  condition.  Quickly 
stepping  up  to  her,  she  whispered:  "Compose  your- 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       247 

self,  my  dear  child,  and  come  with  me  to  the  dining- 
room." 

Helene  clutched  at  the  lady's  arm  and  gave  her  a 
pathetic  smile. 

"Oh,  Madame,  they  have  no  hearts."  Then  recov- 
ering herself,  she  added:  "But  cost  it  what  it  may, 
I  will  tell  them  what  I  feel.  I  have  borne  it  so  long 
that  I  can  hold  out  no  longer." 

Her  recovered  anger  brought  the  color  back  to  her 
face  and  gave  her  strength.  Advancing  rapidly 
towards  the  group,  the  members  of  which  were  gazing 
at  her  in  supercilious  surprise,  she  stood  before  them 
boldly  erect  and  with  her  eyes  shining — a  thing  of 
ineffable  beauty. 

"You  will  listen  to  what  I  have  to  say,"  she  cried 
in  clear,  ringing  tones,  and  the  whole  assembly  turned 
spellbound  at  such  colossal  temerity.  "I  know  I  am 
transgressing  all  the  laws  of  this  Court,  but  you  may 
do  your  pleasure  after  I  have  finished." 

Several  gentlemen  came  forward  to  beg  her  to  be 
composed,  but  she  waved  them  away  with  a  fine 
gesture. 

"I  shall  have  my  say.  The  Princess  and  I  came 
here  to  a  place  of  refuge — we  are  alone  in  the  world 
with  no  man  to  help  us.  The  common  laws  of  hos- 
pitality demand  that  we  be  treated,  at  least,  with  some 
show  of  courtesy,  but  you  have  thought  fit  to  ignore 
them.  You  have  not  only  made  me  realize  my  de- 
pendence, but  you  have  insulted  my  honor  and  ques- 
tioned my  motives.  And  now  that  you  have  learned 
from  a  vile  paper  the  base  insinuations  of  a  base  mind, 
you  have  accepted  them  as  the  truth,  to  afford  you  a 
little  amusement  in  the  dull  circle  of  your  lives." 

Madame  de  Martis  had  taken  one  of  the  girl's  arms 
and  was  hysterically  appealing  to  her  to  leave  the 
room  with  her. 


248       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

"Pardon  me,  Madame,  it  is  too  late  now.  I  have 
begun  and  I  will  finish  what  I  have  to  say  to  these 
distinguished  members  of  the  Court."  Her  voice  had 
grown  stronger;  the  expression  on  her  face  became 
as  if  a  holy  light  had  transfigured  it.  The  women 
were  terrified  and  the  men  admiringly  interested ;  but 
neither  moved  a  foot;  they  stood  as  if  under  a  hyp- 
notic influence. 

"The  gentleman  to  whom  we  owe  our  freedom  is 
not  here  to  speak  for  himself.  If  he  were,  you  would 
not  be  so  free  with  your  insinuations.  He  did  what 
I  doubt  any  man  here  would  have  had  the  courage  to 
do — he  helped  a  dying  man  and  two  friendless  girls. 
Without  that  help  we  should  never  be  alive  to-day, 
and  I  am  proud  to  acknowledge  the  debt  I  owe  him. 
You,  gentlemen  of  Thuringia  will,  I  am  sure,  appre- 
ciate my  sentiments.  And  as  for  the  lying  gossip  of 
that  paper  which  you  ladies  of  the  Court  have  so 
eagerly  accepted,  you  are  welcome  to  make  of  it  what 
you  will." 

She  turned  proudly  and  marched  majestically  out 
of  the  room.  But  the  door  once  closed,  she  staggered 
blindly  up  the  stairs  and  fell  fainting  on  her  bed. 

The  spell,  over  the  assembled  courtiers  was  broken. 
There  succeeded  a  noise  of  talk  such  as  that  reception 
room  had  never  heard  since  the  castle  was  built.  From 
all  sides  resounded  indignant  protestations,  disclaim- 
ers and  denials.  Here  and  there  came  expressions  of 
commiseration  and  even  avowed  desires  for  apologies. 
When,  finally,  the  Baroness  Radau's  voice  could  be 
heard,  they  quieted  down.  The  Baroness  would 
confer  with  the  Dowager  Duchess  and  the  Comtesse 
Helene's  conduct  adjudged.  In  the  meantime,  the 
ladies  and  gentlemen  would  do  well  to  await  Her 
Highness's  arrival. 

When    Helene    recovered    consciousness,    she    lay 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       249 

thinking  dully  of  what  had  occurred.  There  was,  no 
doubt,  in  her  mind  about  the  consequence  of  her  act. 
She  made  up  her  mind  not  to  wait  for  the  royal  ver- 
dict and  its  inevitable  punishment.  Anywhere  was 
better  than  to  be  in  this  heartless  place.  She  would 
rather  live  with  servants  and  working  people  than 
with  these  so-called  high-born  men  and  women.  She 
had  money — thank  God  for  that!  She  would  use  it 
whether  it  was  rightly  hers  or  no.  She  would  go  to 
Anna,  her  nurse,  who  was  the  only  one  who  really 
loved  her.  Anna  was  good  and  wise.  She  would 
help  her  and  guide  her.  She  would  know  what  was 
best  to  do. 

Thus  firmly  resolved,  she  bathed  her  hot,  tear- 
stained  face  and  retiring  for  the  night,  cried  herself 
to  sleep. 

The  next  morning  she  rose,  rested  and  greatly 
refreshed.  After  partaking  of  a  hearty  breakfast,  she 
left  the  castle  and  took  a  "droschky"  to  the  Laender- 
bank.  The  ordeal  she  had  feared  proved  a  very 
simple  affair  after  all.  Her  request  for  money  was 
immediately  attended  to  and  she  left  with  several  thou- 
sand marks  snugly  tucked  away  in  her  pocketbook. 

Her  absence  from  the  castle  had  not  been  noted. 
Once  in  her  room  again,  she  set  about  collecting  the 
articles  she  held  as  her  treasures,  including  the  faded 
rose  leaves  and  orchids,  and  packed  them  carefully  in 
a  box.  Opening  the  door  softly,  she  beckoned  to  a 
passing  lackey  and  asked  him  to  send  Josephine  to  her. 

Josephine  came  in  haste.  She  had  not  seen  her 
dear  Comtesse  for  days  and  wondered  what  she  had 
been  called  for.  Helene  told  her  she  was  going  on  a 
visit  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tyler  in  Berlin,  who  had  in- 
vited her  to  spend  New  Year  with  them.  At  once 
the  maid  became  excited  and  busied  herself  most  en- 
ergetically in  packing  the  Comtesse's  trunk  and  valise. 
17 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 


The  proceeding  took  but  a  short  time  —  Helene's  ward- 
robe was  not  extensive.  A  carriage  was  ordered  to 
be  at  a  side  door  and  a  lackey  helped  to  load  it. 
Before  leaving  Helene  left  a  note  for  the  Princess  in 
which  she  begged  her  friend's  forgiveness  for  the 
step  she  was  taking. 

At  the  railway  station  her  courage  oozed  out  of 
her.  She  was  afraid  she  had  been  followed  and  terri- 
fied at  the  thought  of  the  Baroness  Radau's  cold 
eyes.  Her  eyes  filled  with  tears  as  she  glanced  help- 
lessly around  her.  But  a  guardian  angel  in  the  shape 
of  a  dignified  railway  official,  seeing  her  evident  dis- 
tress, approached  her  with  a  bow  and  begged  the 
"Gnadiges  Fraulein"  to  permit  him  to  take  charge 
of  her  baggage.  She  could  hardly  keep  from  hug- 
ging him,  so  great  was  her  relief.  The  uniformed 
giant  soon  had  her  settled  comfortably  in  a  first  class 
compartment  with  her  baggage  safely  on  board  the 
train.  "The  train  will  leave  in  twenty  minutes  for 
Altenberg,  gnadiges  Fraulein,"  he  informed  her, 
well  pleased  with  the  change  she  had  left  with  him. 
Ah,  at  last,  the  train  was  moving.  At  last,  she  was 
safe,  and  laying  her  aching  head  against  the  uphol- 
stered back  of  the  compartment,  she  closed  her  eyes 
and  dozed  happily  to  the  rhythmic  jolting  of  the 
wheels,  which  were  carrying  her  away  from  the  gilded 
prison  and  its  cruel  jailers. 

At  Altenberg  the  patriarchal  conductor  came  to  her 
assistance.  The  sweet  face  of  the  girl  with  its  plain- 
tive expression  had  touched  him.  He  ordered  a  por- 
ter to  see  to  her  baggage  and  procured  a  carriage  for 
her.  She  looked  at  him,  for  a  moment,  as  he  held 
out  a  hand,  then  she  nodded  and  smiled  and  left  him 
feeling  fully  recompensed,  with  the  smile. 

Anna  lived  at  Garten-strasse  No.  60  in  this  the 
smallest  of  capitals  of  Duke-ridden  Thuringia.  The 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       251 

way  to  it  lay  through  the  Main  Street  and  by  little 
snow-covered  garden  plots  to  the  still  outskirts.  The 
neat  cottage  stood  behind  a  brick  wall  in  which  was 
a  prettily  wrought  iron  gate. 

A  pull  at  the  bell-handle  was  succeeded  by  the  shrill 
barking  of  a  diminutive  dog  between  the  bars  of  the 
gate,  and  the  appearance  of  Anna  in  a  bibbed  apron. 

"Ach,  my  baby!"  she  almost  screamed,  and  gath- 
ered the  girl  to  her  warm  bosom.  "So  you  did  come, 
after  all.  Oh,  I'm  so  glad,  so  glad." 

"What  a  lovely  little  home  you  have,"  cried  Helene 
as  she  looked  around  the  room  into  which  Anna  had 
ushered  her  and  which  was  so  inviting  in  its  furnish- 
ing and  reposeful  effects. 

"Yes,  it  is  nice,  is  it  not,"  assented  Anna  with 
pride  in  her  face.  "But,  my  dear,  you  are  tired  from 
the  journey  and  will  enjoy  a  little  luncheon,  won't 
you?  Of  course.  I'll  have  it  ready  very  soon;  but 
come  to  your  own  room  first.  You  see  I  have  it  all 
ready  for  you.  Ach,  won't  Anton  feel  honored  when 
he  sees  you  here!" 

It  was  not  until  after  luncheon,  when  the  two  were 
seated  together  in  "the  best  room,"  that  Helene  found 
her  opportunity  to  tell  Anna  of  the  real  reason  which 
had  brought  her  to  Altenberg.  The  nurse  listened 
quietly  at  first,  but  towards  the  end  of  the  narrative 
she  became  so  excited  that  she  kept  jumping  from  her 
seat,  pressing  her  hands  together  out  of  sheer  indig- 
nation, and  ended  by  embracing  and  petting  her 
"child"  with  all  the  sympathetic  words  her  full  heart 
enabled  her  to  murmur. 

"Oh,  the  mean,  nasty  cats,"  she  cried.  "I  knew 
from  the  first  that  you  would  never  be  happy  in  a 
place  like  that.  I  told  Josephine  so.  You  did  quite 
right  in  leaving  as  you  did.  You  will  stop  here, 
which  is  your  proper  place  now;  and  you  can  stay  as 


252       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

long  as  you  wish.  We  shall  have  the  loveliest  time, 
and  the  house  and  everything  is  yours.  The  idea, 
their  not  letting  you  go  in  mourning  for  your  dear 
papa !  Why,  I  never  heard  such  a  thing !  It's  wicked, 
positively  wicked.  We'll  see  to  a  proper  dress  for  you 
at  once.  We  have  a  very  good  dressmaker  here  who 
will  fix  you  up  elegantly.  Oh,  the  cats,  the  vipers!" 

Anna  would  have  gone  on  much  longer  if  Helene 
would  have  listened.  But  she  laughingly  smothered 
the  dear  lady  in  an  embrace  and  begged  her  to  forget 
it  now  as  she  herself  had  done.  She  would  be  glad 
to  find  her  home  here  for  the  present  and  was  grate- 
ful to  Anna  for  her  loving  kindness. 

Thus,  at  last,  did  Helene  find  a  resting  place  for 
her  tired  head.  Here  she  could  be  alone  with  her 
thoughts,  study  a  little  and  arrive  at  some  definite 
plans  for  the  future.  Perhaps,  her  troubles  were  now 
over  and  things  would  take  a  change  for  the  better. 
For  the  winter,  at  least,  she  would  accept  Anna's  kind 
hospitality. 

Soon  the  spring  would  come — ah,  the  spring! 
She  would  not  plan  so  far  ahead.  She  would  leave 
it  in  God's  own  merciful  hands.  The  lines  from  the 
English  poet  came  into  her  mind.  She  smiled  hap- 
pily as  she  murmured  the  hope-giving  words : 

Oh,  Wind, 
li  Winter  comes,  can  Spring  be  far  behind? 

Spring  with  its  budding  of  trees  and  flowers  and 
growing  of  green  grass ;  with  the  coming  of  the  hope- 
giving  sun  and  blue  skies,  and  all  the  thousand  beauties 
that  make  the  heart  glad,  then  surely  would  come  to 
her  a  new  strength  and  a  kinder  life.  Perhaps — per- 
haps— but  she  dared  not  think  of  that.  If  God  so 
willed  it  spring  might  bring  him  also,  and  then — ah, 
then,  let  come  what  may.  It  would,  indeed,  be  a  new 
life! 


CHAPTER  XX 

HELENE'S  life  in  the  home  of  the  Schreibers 
begun  so  happily  continued  as  happily  for 
many  weeks.     She  communicated  with  no 
one  in  Weimar  because  she  wished  to  forget,  so  far  as 
she  could,  the  wretched  time  she  had  passed  there. 
She  had  not  told  the  Princess  where  she  was  going 
and,  in  her  haste,  she  had  forgotten  to  inform  Donald 
McCormick.    It  was  better  so,  she  thought,  at  any  rate 
for  the  winter.    She  would  be  happier  alone  with  these 
humble  and  kind  people. 

The  people  of  Altenberg  knew  her  as  Miss  Barton. 
Frau  Schreiber  had  taken  care  to  explain  to  them  that 
Ilelene  was  the  daughter  of  a  lady  in  whose  service 
.she  had  been ;  and  was  staying  with  them  for  the  win- 
ter, for  a  rest. 

Life,  in  a  little  place  like  Altenberg,  especially  to 
one  accustomed  to  the  atmosphere  of  a  refined  home 
and  the  association  with  people  of  culture,  is  at  best 
a  more  or  less  dull  round  of  daily  duties.  One  must  be 
Lorn  in  such  a  place  to  accept  contentedly  its  simple 
offerings  of  friendly  intercourse  and  common  inter- 
ests. For  a  time,  the  novelty  of  its  picturesque  streets, 
its  quaintly  pretty  houses,  its  museum  and  historical 
landmarks,  satisfied  Helene's  appetite  for  variety.  She 
enjoyed  the  "sights"  as  a  tourist  who  might  be  visiting 
the  place.  But  familiarity,  if  it  did  not  breed  con- 
tempt, did  certainly  destroy  the  novelty,  and  what  once 
was  enjoyed  a§  variety  now  palled  because  of  the 
monotony.  The  variety  itself  had  become  a  same- 

253 


254       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

ness.  Even  the  different  neighbors  of  the  Schreibers 
took  on  a  ridiculous  seeming  of  likeness  to  each  other ; 
and  Anna  herself,  good  and  kind  as  she  undoubtedly 
was,  became  like  the  rest.  Good  people  are  seldom  in- 
teresting, and  kindness  alone  does  not  always  mean 
that  their  thoughts  are  in  sympathy  with  our  own. 

So  that  pretty  Altenberg  and  its  simple  folk  began 
in  time  to  pall  on  Helene.  Anna  noticed  the  change, 
and  put  it  down  to  the  absence  of  congenial  society. 
She  determined  to  supply  the  want.  The  well-meant 
remedy  but  aggravated  the  disease.  The  good  woman 
took  every  opportunity  to  be  with  Helene,  and  it  was 
not  long  before  the  girl  was  almost  afraid  to  see  her 
approaching  on  her  kindly  mission  bent. 

As  often  as  the  weather  permitted,  Helene  would  go 
for  long  walks.  She  could  the  better  "think  things 
over,"  as  Anna  would  say,  when  alone  in  the  open  air. 
She  realized  that  wise  as  the  step  had  been  she  had 
taken  in  coming  to  Altenberg,  it  was  just  as  wise  now 
that  she  should  leave  it  as  soon  as  the  winter  was  over. 
She  must  not  be  a  burden  on  anyone.  She  must  go 
away  and  find  something  to  do — some  occupation  by 
which  she  could  earn,  at  least,  a  living.  For  she  had 
made  up  her  mind  that  she  would  use  no  more  of  that 
money  Mr.  Tyler  had  placed  to  her  credit  in  the  bank. 
She  was  not  at  all  satisfied  that  it  was  her  father's 
money.  The  six  thousand  marks  she  had  drawn  out 
on  leaving  Weimar  she  would  keep.  She  had  calcu- 
lated, at  least  to  her  own  satisfaction,  that  this  was 
about  the  sum  which  her  father  might  have  possessed. 
By  what  process  of  reasoning  she  arrived  at  that  con- 
clusion only  a  knowledge  of  Helene's  honest  and  un- 
worldly nature  could  explain.  But  the  conviction  was 
fixed  and  with  it  also  the  determination  to  provide  for 
her  own  future  by  the  work  of  her  own  hands. 

The  days  grew  longer ;  the  cool  airs  began  to  whisper 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       255 

the  promise  of  spring.  With  the  approach  of  the  sea- 
son Helene's  spirits  returned.  Her  body,  too,  threw 
off  the  lassitude  which  the  winter's  confinement  had 
brought  on.  Her  cheeks  showed  a  little  of  their  old- 
time  rose-color;  her  eyes  grew  bright.  Youth  was 
reasserting  itself  at  nature's  silent  call. 

One  afternoon  late  in  February,  on  her  return  from 
a  visit  to  an  ancient  church,  she  was  surprised  to  see 
Herr  Kauffner  approaching  her  dressed  in  holiday 
attire.  She  knew  him  as  a  prosperous  tanner,  and  a 
friend  of  the  Schreibers,  and  although  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  town  council  it  was  not  usual  for  him  to  be 
walking  out  on  a  week  day  dressed  in  his  Sunday 
clothes.  Her  surprise  was  not  lessened  when,  on  dof- 
fing his  hat,  he  stopped  and  begged  permission  to  ac- 
company her  home.  There  was  an  impressive  formal- 
ity about  the  request  which  made  her  feel  very  uncom- 
fortable, but  she  could  scarcely  refuse. 

Herr  Kauffner  was  a  heavily  built  man  with  a  tem- 
perament that  scorned  circumlocution.  He  wasted  lit- 
tle time  and  less  words  in  coming  to  his  point. 

"I  am  happy,  Fraulein  Barton,"  he  began  with  a 
self-satisfied  air,  "to  have  this  opportunity  of  speaking 
with  you  alone."  He  cast  an  ardent,  admiring  glance 
on  what  he  could  see  of  her  face.  "Indeed,  Fraulein, 
I  have  been  wishing  for  it  ever  since  I  had  the  good 
fortune  to  make  your  acquaintance." 

Helene  quickened  her  step — they  were  nearing  the 
main  street. 

"I  am  one  of  the  richest  men  in  the  Faubourg,"  he 
went  on,  and  this  time  with  a  distinct  note  of  pride  in 
his  tones.  "I  am  a  good-natured  fellow,  in  the  prime 
of  life  and  sound  as  a  thaler." 

Helene  turned  pale  and  increased  her  pace  as  she 
kept  looking  about  her  anxiously  in  the  hope  she 
would  see  some  person  she  knew. 


256       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

"But — I  am  a  lonely  man.  I  ask  your  permission 
to  visit  Herr  and  Frau  Schreiber  more  frequently  as 
a  suitor  for  your  heart  and  hand.  May  I  so  consider 
myself?" 

Helena  was  utterly  at  her  wit's  end  what  to  answer. 
Her  rapid  steps  had  brought  her  to  the  turning  of 
the  street  in  which  the  Schreibers  lived.  She  paused 
for  breath  for  a  moment  and  looked  at  Herr  Kauff- 
ner  with  such  surprise  and  frightened  eyes  that  he 
stepped  back  a  pace. 

"I  thank  you  for  the  honor  you  have  paid  me,  Herr 
Kauffner,"  she  was  able  to  say,  "but  it  cannot  be.  Per- 
mit me  to  go  home  now  alone." 

And  without  giving  him  time  to  answer  she  almost 
ran  down  the  street  into  the  house.  Once  in  the  hall 
she  did  not  pause,  but  walked  quickly  up  the  stairs, 
clinging  to  the  balustrade  for  support  and  threw  her- 
self into  a  chair  in  her  own  room,  overcome  from  ex- 
haustion and  fear.  She  had  not  dared  to  announce 
her  return  to  Anna,  as  she  usually  did  after  her  walks ; 
she  was  afraid  Anna  might  question  her  on  seeing  her 
distress. 

For  many  minutes  she  sat  trying  to  still  the  beating 
of  her  heart.  The  rush  of  blood  to  her  head  had  made 
her  dizzy.  After  a  time  she  was  able  to  get  on  her  feet 
and  bathe  her  face  in  cold  water. 

Then  the  humor  of  the  situation  took  her,  and  she 
smiled.  Poor  man — he  meant  well.  She  had  been 
rude  to  leave  him  so  abruptly.  What  would  Anna 
say  ?  How  could  she  tell  her  ? 

Just  then  she  heard  a  noise  of  some  one  entering 
the  next  room  and  the  sound  of  the  closing  of  the  door. 
Then  came  loud  voices  in  dispute.  Anna  and  her 
husband  were  talking  about  something  that  had  evi- 
dently made  them  angry.  The  voices  came  nearer  and 
she  heard  Anna  say  distinctly: 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       257 

"You  are  very  unreasonable.  You  ought  to  be 
proud  to  have  her  here." 

"Yes,  that's  what  you  say ;  but  I'm  not.  You  keep  on 
telling  me  of  the  honor  your  'gracious  and  noble  Com- 
tesse'  is  doing  us  by  being  here.  But  I  don't  see  it. 
After  slaving  all  these  years  to  be  my  own  master,  do 
you  think  I'm  going  to  be  a  servant  again?  And  yet 
that's  just  what  I'm  being  driven  to.  Since  she  came 
I  am  compelled  to  eat  my  meals  where  I  won't  be  in 
the  way  of  your  'precious  lamb.'  I  am  not  allowed  to 
talk  loudly;  I  can't  have  my  friends  visit  me  and  enjoy 
a  bottle  of  wine;  I  must  be  always  dressed  up  and 
keep  on  my  best  behavior — and  in  my  own  house,  too. 
I  never  heard  of  such  a  thing.  I  can't  smoke  my  pipe 
except  in  a  back  room,  and  as  for  my  wife,  why  I  see 
so  little  of  you  now  that  I  might  just  as  well  never  be 
married." 

"Anton,  you  must  not  shout  like  that." 

"Not  shout!  Why  not?  Isn't  this  my  house?  I 
don't  care  who  hears  me.  I'd  just  as  soon  tell  her  if 
she  were  here.  Before  she  came  I  was  as  happy  and 
proud  as  a  duke.  Here  we've  been  working  all  these 
years — for  what?  For  our  home.  And  now  that 
we've  got  it — where  is  it?  Not  in  this  place.  When 
I  want  my  wife,  you  are  fussing  with  the  'gracious 
Comtesse';  when  I  ask  you  to  come  for  a  walk,  you 
tell  me  'Lady  Helene  needs  me' ;  when  I  want  to  talk 
with  her,  you  tell  me  I  don't  know  how  to  talk  to  a 
noble  lady.  What  do  you  think  I  am — a  stone,  a  fool, 
or  a  man  ?  I'm  sick  of  it  all.  I  want  our  old  life  back 
again — I  want  my  wife — my  home." 

"Anton,  you  are  beside  yourself.  Don't  you  know 
the  poor  girl  has  no  one  except  us  to  help  her  ?" 

"Well,  let  her  do  as  other  girls  do — let  her  marry 
a  decent  fellow  and  have  her  own  home.  I  don't  mind 
her  visiting  us — but  I  don't  keep  a  hotel !" 


258       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

When  Helena  had  realized  that  it  was  she  who  was 
the  cause  of  their  quarrel,  her  weakness  became  such 
that  she  lost  the  power  of  movement,  and  collapsed  in 
the  chair.  She  tried  to  cry  out  in  an  effort  to  make 
them  aware  of  her  presence  in  the  house,  but  her 
tongue  clove  to  the  roof  of  her  mouth — she  could  but 
sit  helpless  and  listen. 

She  heard  Anna  weeping-  and  saying  bitter  words 
to  her  husband.  How  he  must  have  resented  her  com- 
ing that  he,  a  man  usually  so  mild  and  gentle,  should 
have  been  roused  to  such  anger.  She  heard  a  violent 
slamming  of  a  door  followed  by  the  sound  of  quick, 
heavy  treads  down  the  stairs,  and  then,  a  deadly 
silence. 

So  this  was  to  be  the  end !  An  adverse  fate  must  be 
pursuing  her.  Wherever  she  went  unhappiness  fol- 
lowed. Even  those  who  would  befriend  her  suffered 
because  of  her. 

"Oh,  I  wish  I  was  dead — dead,  and  with  dear  papa," 
she  murmured  brokenly,  for  she  was  too  wretched  to 
cry. 

She  must  go  and  go  at  once.  Anna  must  not  suffer 
because  of  her.  She  had  come  between  her  and  her 
good  husband  who  loved  her.  Anton  Schreiber  was 
right.  His  wife  and  his  home  were  his,  and  she  had 
no  right  here. 

But  where  should  she  go?  Ah,  that  was  a  hard 
question  to  answer.  She  would  not  go  back  to 
Weimar,  and  she  knew  nobody  anywhere  else.  If 
only  Donald  were  here — he  would  surely  help  her. 
She  must  go  to  some  big  city  where  no  one  would 
know  her  and  where  she  could  easily  hide  herself.  But 
if  she  went  with  Anna's  knowledge,  that  dear  woman 
would  suspect  she  had  overheard  the  quarrel.  She 
must  leave  without  her  knowing  it. 

Her  mind  made  up  she  stepped  quietly  down  the 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       259 

stairs  and  out  of  the  house  to  the  rear  where  the 
Schreibers*  little  maid-of-all-work  had  her  room.  The 
girl  adored  the  Fraulein  Barton  and  would  do  any- 
thing she  asked.  Helene  bound  her  to  secrecy.  She 
was  going  to  Munich  on  a  visit,  she  told  her,  and 
didn't  want  Frau  Schreiber  to  know.  Could  she  get 
anyone  who  would  take  her  trunk  to  the  station  ?  The 
girl  smiled.  Of  course  she  could.  The  butcher's  boy 
would  do  it  for  her  any  time.  When?  She'd  bring 
him  that  evening  at  eight  o'clock.  He  could  bring 
the  trunk  downstairs  to  the  laundry  and  in  the  morn- 
ing he'd  come  round  with  his  cart  and  take  it 
away.  Her  Hermann  would  do  it  for  a  thaler — not 
for  him,  but  for  the  porter  at  the  station.  That 
settled  it. 

Helene  returned  to  the  front  door  and  entering 
noisily  called  out  for  "Mamma  Anna"  as  she  usually 
did  to  announce  her  arrival. 

"Where  are  you,  'Mamma  Anna/  she  called  up  the 
stairs." 

"I'm  resting  in  my  room,"  came  the  reply. 

"Well,  I'm  going  to  write  some  letters.  Call  me 
when  supper  is  ready." 

"I  will,  dear  Comtesse." 

Once  in  her  room  Helene  commenced  packing  her 
belonging  quietly,  but  rapidly.  It  took  but  a  little  time 
and  the  trunk  locked,  she  carefully  moved  it,  inch  by 
inch,  until  she  had  succeeded  in  placing  it  at  the  head 
of  the  back  staircase  where  the  maid's  Hermann  would 
be  sure  to  find  it. 

At  the  supper  table,  Helene  told  Anna  of  her  en- 
counter with  Herr  Kauffner.  She  treated  the  matter 
lightly  and  in  a  way  that  would  not  offend  Anna.  But, 
to  Helene's  surprise,  Anna  was  most  indignant  with 
the  man. 

"The  idea!"  she  exclaimed.     "I'll  tell  that  gentle- 


26o       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

man  something  that'll  keep  him  away.  That  man 
marry  my  darling — why  it's  preposterous!" 

"Let's  forget  all  about  it,  Anna  dear.  Shall  I  play 
you  some  of  your  favorite  songs  ?" 

And  without  waiting  for  her  assent  she  sat  down  at 
the  piano.  But  Anna  was  not  to  be  restrained.  She 
loved  to  have  Helene  play  for  her,  but  her  indignation 
took  a  long  time  cooling,  and  Helene  could  hear  her 
muttering  as  she  busied  herself  clearing  the  table: 
"Preposterous!  The  idea!  I  never  heard  such  im- 
pudence !" 

Anton  Schreiber  came  in  all  smiles  for  Helene,  but 
she  felt  too  ashamed  to  look  at  him.  She  stopped  play- 
ing and  was  about  to  rise  and  leave  the  room,  when 
he  begged  her  to  go  on.  She  pleaded  weariness,  how- 
ever, and,  excusing  herself,  retired  to  her  room.  The 
two,  she  thought,  would  be  better  left  alone;  it  would 
give  them  an  opportunity  to  become  reconciled  with 
each  other. 

In  her  bedroom  she  was  again  a  prey  to  anxiety. 
What  would  she  do  in  Munich  ?  To  whom  could  she 
go  there?  She  thought  of  Morton  and  wondered 
where  he  was.  He  believed  her  to  be  still  at  Weimar, 
for  she  had  written  him  but  once  since  they  had  parted 
— a  simple  acknowledgment  of  his  birthday-gift.  She 
had  promised  to  let  him  know  if  ever  she  was  in  need 
of  a  friend,  and  surely  he  was  in  such  need  now! 
Should  she  write  to  him?  Torn  by  anxiety  and  pride 
she  knew  not  which  way  to  decide.  After  much  re- 
flection she  concluded  there  could  be  no  harm  in  letting 
him  know  that  she  had  left  the  castle.  Taking  pen 
and  paper  she  began ;  but  it  was  only  after  several  at- 
tempts and  with  many  misgivings  of  heart  that  she 
finally  decided  to  send  the  following : 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       261 

"DEAR  MR.  MORTON: 

"I  have  left  the  home  offered  me  by  the  Duchess  of  Saxe- 
Weimar.  I  was  too  unhappy  there.  I  tried  most  earnestly 
to  become  reconciled  to  my  surroundings,  but  the  dull  rou- 
tine of  the  empty  life  of  the  Court,  the  heartlessness  of  its 
people,  were  more  than  I  could  bear. 

"I  have  now  decided  to  try  to  find  my  own  proper  place 
in  the  world — to  get  some  occupation  in  which  I  can  be 
happy  and,  at  least,  be  free  to  live  my  own  life.  I  have  not 
forgotten  my  promise  to  you  not  to  take  a  serious  step  with- 
out consulting  you,  but  I  am  sure  you  will  agree  that  I  have 
acted  lor  the  best. 

"The  letters  of  my  father  which  Mr.  Tyler  gave  me  only 
deepen  the  feelings  of  gratitude  your  kindness  aroused  in  me. 
I  know  everything  now  and  I  must  ever  honor  the  man  who 
proved  himself  so  noble  a  friend.  If  I  do  not  ask  your 
advice  now  before  deciding  it  is  because  I  know  too  well 
what  you  would  do — and  I  cannot  again  burden  you  with  my 
sorrows. 

"Please  forgive  me  if  I  seem  proud.  I  ask  only  for  time, 
in  which  to  plant  my  feet  on  firm  ground  and,  perhaps,  find 
some  peace. 

"I  have  taken  some  of  the  money  Mr.  Tyler  gave  me,  so 
that  I  shall  not  be  in  want.  What  other  poorer  girls  can  do 
I  can. 

"I  shall  write  you  again  in  the  autumn  when  my  year  of 
mourning  for  my  dear  father  is  over.  Until  then,  think  of  me 
as  kindly  as  you  can  and  believe  that  I  am  obeying  an  inner 
voice  which  commands  me. 

"Believe  me,  Dear  Mr.  Morton, 

"Very  gratefully  yours, 

"HELENE  RONDELL-BARTON." 

The  letter  took  a  long  time  writing  and  had  cost 
Helene  many  a  heartache  and  not  a  few  tears.  She 
had  been  filled  with  doubts  even  while  writing  it.  It 
was  so  easy  to  shift  her  burden,  and  this  man  would 
have  accepted  it  gladly.  But  how  would  she  seem  in 
his  eyes  in  that  case?  How  could  she  accept  such  a 
service  from  one  who  had  already  served  her  so  abun- 
dantly? What  right  had  she  thus  to  call  on  him? 
No — the  letter  was  best.  She  felt  more  at  ease  with 


262       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

herself,  more  determined  in  spirit,  more  resolute  of 
purpose,  stronger  in  will,  now  that  it  was  written. 

Early  the  next  morning  she  packed  her  few  remain- 
ing possessions  in  a  small  valise  and,  after  leaving  a 
short  note  for  Anna,  crept  out  of  the  house  and 
made  her  way  to  the  railway  station  where  she  mailed 
the  letter  to  Morton.  She  waited  until  the  butcher's 
boy  had  brought  her  trunk  and  took  a  second-class 
ticket  for  Hanover,  where  in  due  time  she  arrived. 

An  official  at  the  railway  station  of  whom  she  in- 
quired after  a  hotel  recommended  the  "Hanover." 
Here  she  obtained  a  comfortable  room  and  after  satis- 
fying her  hunger  she  sat  down  by  its  window  in  the 
dark  to  think  out  a  plan  of  action  for  the  following 
day. 

She  sat  for  a  long  time  looking  out  on  to  the  bril- 
liantly lit  avenue  with  its  display  of  the  city's  night 
life  and  wondered  what  place  she  could  fill  in  it.  It 
was  a  new  world  to  her — a  bewildering  world — even 
a  terrifying  world.  She  must  now  mix  in  it — play 
her  part  in  it  unprepared  and  unaided.  Her  heart 
sank  at  the  thought.  And  this  was  what  was  meant 
by  life !  This  was  what  thousands  of  girls  had  to  face ! 
,Well,  she  would  face  it,  too,  and  do  her  best.  If  others 
could  succeed,  why  not  she?  And  if  she  failed — but 
she  would  not  think  of  that.  She  would  not,  must  not 
fail.  She  would  begin  by  going  to  an  employment 
agency  and  offer  herself  for  a  position  as  governess. 
She  knew  French,  German  and  English — these  were 
not  common  accomplishments  and,  surely,  they  were 
wanted  and  would  be  paid  for! 

But  what  a  change  from  her  life  in  Roumelia!  Ah, 
beloved  Roumelia!  She  pictured  the  Rosen's  home 
in  Padina — the  last  real  home  she  had  known.  It 
brought  Morton  back  to  her  mind.  Involuntarily,  she 
closed  her  eyes  to  the  lights  without,  so  that  she  could 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       263 

be  alone  with  her  image.  Had  he  meant  all  that  was 
implied  in  his  last  words  ?  Or  had  he  but  used  similar 
words  to  her  that  he  had  spoken  to  other  girls  he 
knew?  No,  no,  no,  she  could  not  believe  that.  He 
was  not  that  kind  of  a  man.  Her  father  had  said  of 
him  that  he  was  true  and  noble,  and  her  father,  a  wise 
man  and  of  great  experience,  knew  men  well.  It  was 
wrong  in  her  to  doubt  him. 

"I  must  leave  the  rest,"  she  whispered  softly,  "in 
God's  good  hands.  Until,  then,  good-bye,  my  knight." 

Thus,  greatly  encouraged  and  with  a  mind  calmed 
and  at  rest,  she  lay  down  and  slept  the  happy  sleep  of 
those  who  feel  they  are  loved. 


CHAPTER   XXI 

TRUE  to  her  resolve,  Helene  called  the  next 
morning  at  the  "Agentur  fur  Gouvernanten," 
the  address  of  which  she  found  in  a  directory 
at  the  hotel.  The  experience  was  a  disappointing  one. 
The  official  gave  her  a  form  to  fill  out  for  her  name, 
address,  accomplishments  and  references.  The  regis- 
tration fee  was  six  marks,  payable  in  advance. 

As  she  had  no  references  to  give,  since  she  did  not 
wish  any  of  her  friends  to  know  where  she  was,  she 
filled  in  the  form  without  the  references. 

Helene  began  to  realize  that  finding  a  situation 
might  take  a  much  longer  time  than  she  had  expected. 
She,  therefore,  decided  to  leave  the  expensive  hotel 
and  take  a  room  at  a  modest  pension.  She  was  soon 
accommodated  and  spent  her  days  mainly  in  reading 
and  answering  the  advertisements  in  the  daily  papers 
and  the  "Teacher's  Journal."  On  two  occasions  she 
received  replies  requesting  her  to  call,  but  nothing 
came  of  her  visits — she  could  give  no  references.  She 
persevered,  however,  convinced  that  something  would 
turn  up  some  day. 

The  days  lengthened  and  the  snow  had  disappeared 
altogether  from  the  streets.  In  the  park,  where  she 
loved  to  take  her  walks  on  sunny  afternoons,  the 
keepers  were  busy  cleaning  up  the  grass  plots  and  plant- 
ing flowers.  The  trees  were  beginning  to  burst  into 
foliage;  the  leaf  buds  of  the  lindens  were  swelling; 
the  birches  began  to  show  their  pretty  little  pussy- 
tails  and  the  sparrows  and  starlings  were  twittering, 

264 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       265 

their  first  spring  songs.     The  faces  of  the  people  she 
met  took  on  expectant  and  hopeful  expressions. 

One  beautiful,  sunny  morning  she  received  a  letter 
from  a  Frau  Professor  Heimbach,  asking  her  to  call 
in  response  to  her  application  for  a  governess  for  her 
two  children.  The  Frau  Professor  lived  on  the  sec- 
ond floor  in  Hegel  Strasse. 

Helene  had  no  doubt  she  had  at  last  succeeded  in 
getting  what  she  had  been  hoping  for.  She  was  so 
overjoyed  that,  for  the  first  time  in  months,  she  sang 
while  eating  her  breakfast.  She  arrayed  herself  in 
her  best  clothes  and  set  out  looking  the  very  incarna- 
tion of  the  lovely  spring  weather. 

Hegel  Strasse  looked  like  the  very  place  in  which 
a  Frau  Professor  might  live.  It  was  in  a  very  respect- 
able neighborhood  and  the  house  itself  a  faded  rem- 
nant of  a  one-time  dignified  and  imposing  struc- 
ture. 

With  a  beating  heart  Helene  ascended  the  un- 
adorned, cold  stairway  and  pulled  the  bell-knob  below 
the  brass-plate  which  indicated  that  Professor  Albert 
V.  Heimbach,  Ph.D.,  lived  within.  She  could  hear 
in  the  distance  the  shrill  tinkling  sound  of  the  bell. 
After  what  seemed  to  her  an  eternity  the  door  opened 
and  an  unkempt  maid  with  a  red  upturned  nose  ap- 
peared. To  Helene's  request  to  see  the  Frau  Profes- 
sor, the  servant  made  no  reply,  but  looked  her  over 
very  carefully  from  head  to  feet.  The  inspection  ap- 
peared to  be  satisfactory,  for  the  girl  nodded  and  beck- 
oned to  Helene  to  come  in. 

At  the  end  of  the  narrow  entresol  and  sharply  out- 
lined against  the  bright  light  which  came  from  a  dis- 
tant room,  Helene  saw  a  tall,  slender  woman  approach- 
ing. 

"What  is  it  you  wish,  Madame?"  she  inquired  of 
Helene. 

18 


266       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Helena  explained  that  she  had  come  in  response  to 
the  Frau  Professor's  advertisement  for  a  governess. 

"Come  into  the  room,  and  be  seated." 

In  the  increased  light  of  the  sitting-room  Helene 
faced  a  tired  and  somewhat  faded  woman,  still  young, 
but  of  a  most  meagre  appearance,  and  painfully  flat- 
chested,  with  pale  bluish  eyes  and  thin  bloodless  lips. 
The  close  fitting  bodice  of  her  dress  accentuated  the 
length  of  a  thin  neck  which  stuck  up  from  her  shoul- 
ders and  seemed  as  if  it  were  a  stalk  bearing  the  small 
head  above  it.  She  spoke  in  cold,  knife-edgy  tones. 

"Have  you  had  any  experience  as  a  governess  of 
children,  Fraulein?" 

"No — Frau  Professor — but  .  .  ." 

"Pardon  me,  Fraulein — answer  only  my  ques- 
tion, if  you  will  be  good  enough.  Have  you  any  ref- 
erences from  your  pastor,  or  the  Council  of  your  dis- 
trict?" 

"No,  gnadige  Frau  Professor." 

"Do  you  feel  yourself  competent  to  teach  my  two 
children  the  subjects  of  the  North  German  School 
curriculum  ?" 

"I  think  I  am  quite  competent.  I  am  fond  of  chil- 
dren and  .  .  ." 

"Pardon  me,  I  did  not  ask  you  for  that  information. 
Have  you  ever  taught  children  ?" 

"Yes,  I  have." 

"Where?" 

"At  Gratz — I  assisted  the  Sisters  of  the  Holy 
Heart." 

"What  are  your  accomplishments?" 

"I  speak  French  very  well — also  English.  I  play 
the  piano,  draw  and  paint  a  little  and  can  embroider 
and  sew." 

The  Frau  Professor's  face  seemed  as  if  it  might 
have  been  touched  by  a  faint  interest — it  almost  smiled. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       267 

Painting  and  embroidering  were  evidently  desirable 
qualities.  She  had  kept  her  feet  crossed  during  the 
examination  but  she  now  separated  them  and  displayed 
a  pair  of  shabby  shoes  sadly  down  at  heel.  Leaning 
forward  she  examined  the  very  young  applicant  care- 
fully but  not  unkindly. 

The  door  leading  to  an  adjoining  room,  just  at  that 
moment,  slowly  opened,  and  after  a  few  moments  Hel- 
ene saw  a  curly-headed,  blue-eyed  little  girl  stretch  its 
head  into  the  room.  The  mother  turned  quickly  and 
called  out :  "Close  the  door,  Emilie — you  must  not  be 
inquisitive."  The  child  disappeared  instantly.  Helene 
felt  sorry  to  see  her  go — her  heart  had  gone  out  to  the 
dear  little  thing. 

The  interruption  seemed  to  have  acted  on  the  Frau 
Professor  as  a  reminder  of  her  position.  She  leaned 
back  and  folding  her  arms  gazed  for  a  long  time  at 
Helene's  face  and  clothes  with  a  dreamy  look  in  her 
eyes.  Finally,  she  seemed  to  make  up  her  mind  and 
began  to  speak,  at  first  hesitatingly  and  then  more 
firmly : 

"Fraulein,  will  you  let  me  tell  you  something — 
something  which  I  believe  you  will  thank  me  for  here- 
after ?  You  are  looking  for  a  position  as  governess  in 
a  family.  By  your  own  admission  you  have  had  no 
experience  in  such  work  and  cannot  furnish  testi- 
monials." 

Helene  turned  pale  and  then  reddened. 

"I  want  to  be  perfectly  frank  with  you,"  resumed 
the  thin  lady;  "I  admit  that  your  accomplishments, 
your  appearance  and  your  manners  are  greatly  in  your 
favor;  but  you  are  seeking  for  employment  in  the 
wrong  direction,  Fraulein." 

"Oh,  Frau  Professor,"  cried  Helene  eagerly,  "I  can 
learn;  and  I  am  so  anxious  to  please.  I  would  love 
to  teach  your  children,  and  I  am  sure  they  would  like 


268       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

me.  I  shall  try  to  make  them  like  me.  Won't  you 
just  give  me  a  trial,  please?" 

The  Frau  Professor's  brow  clouded  and  her  face 
turned  a  brick-red  color.  With  an  effort  she  seemed 
to  be  suppressing  her  feelings.  Then,  laying  a  hand 
on  Helene's  gloved  ones,  she  bent  over  and  in  a  soft- 
ened voice  said : 

"My  child,  you  cannot  and  should  not  expect  that 
from  me.  Ten  years  ago  when  I  married  I  was  a 
blooming,  fresh  girl  like  you  are,  though,  perhaps,  not 
quite  so  attractive.  Look  at  me  now.  See  what  those 
ten  years  have  done  for  me." 

She  stood  up  and  stretched  out  her  arms.  It  was 
a  pathetic  gesture. 

"My  husband  is  a  kind  and  good  man.  He  has  his 
work  to  do  and  his  studies.  But  the  romance  of  his 
life — so  far,  at  least  as  I  can  affect  it,  has  gone  out 
of  him.  Look  at  me  and  you  will  see  what  the  drudg- 
ery of  household  duties,  the  care  of  children,  the  worry 
of  making  both  ends  meet,  have  made  of  me.  My 
youth  has  departed  from  me,  and  with  it  have  gone 
all  the  joy  I  have  known  and  all  the  beauty  I  ever 
possessed. 

"Do  you  expect  that  I  should  bring  a  beautiful  young 
being  like  you  into  my  home?  Why,  my  dear,  your 
presence  would  be  a  daily  reminder  to  me,  and  to  my 
husband,  of  my  helplessness  and  futility.  I  could 
not  compete  with  you.  And  there  is  not  a  woman  in 
Hanover  who  would  dare  risk  it.  I  am  not  doubting 
you.  I  am  sure  you  are  good  and  pure.  But  we  are 
all  fighting  to  keep  the  little  flame  of  our  husband's 
admiration  still  burning  in  his  heart  for  us.  It  is  so 
small  that  it  would  die,  oh,  so  easily  if  ...  ah,  my 
dear  Fraulein,  it  is  impossible. 

"Take  my  advice  and  marry  some  good  young  man. 
Or,  if  you  must  find  an  occupation,  look  for  it  where 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       269 

women  do  not  rule.  Forgive  me  for  my  plain  speak- 
ing ;  I  do  not  mean  to  pain  you.  Were  I  a  great  lady 
with  a  magnificent  household  and  many  servants,  I 
would  engage  you  without  a  moment's  hesitation.  As 
it  is,  it  is  out  of  the  question.  I  ask  your  pardon, 
Fraulein  Barton,  and  wish  you  a  good  morning-  and 
good  luck." 

Helene  knew  not  how  she  found  herself  in  the  street, 
but  the  sunshine  seemed  as  if  it  had  been  washed  from 
the  sky  suddenly  as  by  a  soiled  rag.  She  walked 
mechanically,  her  heart  numb,  her  brain  dulled,  with- 
out knowing  where  she  was  going..  She  had  but  one 
conscious  feeling — to  hide  herself,  to  be  alone.  At 
the  corner  of  the  street  she  hailed  a  'bus  and  shrank 
into  its  remotest  corner.  She  allowed  it  to  pass  her 
pension;  she  would  go  into  the  park  and  sit  there 
and  think  over  what  she  should  do.  There  at  least 
she  would  not  be  molested.  The  trees  and  birds  and 
children  would  not  chide  her. 

In  a  quiet  circular  spot  edged  with  boxwood  she 
found  a  seat  on  a  bench  in  a  sunny  corner  where  the 
tender  green  of  the  shrubbery  spoke  of  a  reawakened 
life.  The  sparrows  hopped  about  her  for  the  cake 
crumbs  she  threw  them.  It  was  too  early  in  the  season 
for  the  nurse  maids  and  their  perambulators  and  only 
occasionally  a  park  gardener  would  pass  along  the  walk 
wheeling  his  barrow  of  turf  or  soil  and  leaving  be- 
hind him  the  fresh  scent  of  earth. 

Helene  sat  in  a  pathetic  mood,  too  depressed  to  think. 
Her  encounter  with  the  world  had  stunned  her,  and  she 
found  herself  utterly  at  a  loss  how  to  renew  the  attack. 
Suddenly,  she  heard  the  crunching  sound  of  quick, 
firm  foot-treads  on  gravel.  Turning  her  head  in  the 
direction  of  the  sound  she  saw  a  tall,  fine-looking 
woman  coming  straight  towards  her.  As  she  ap- 
proached nearer,  Helene  noticed  that  she  was  young 


270       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

and  neatly  dressed  in  a  smart  tailor-made  costume 
which  set  off  to  advantage  a  splendid,  though  rather 
stout  figure.  She  recalled  now  that  she  had  seen  this 
young  woman  in  the  rooms  of  the  Arts  and  Crafts 
Exhibition,  and  had  admired  her  freedom  and  grace 
of  movement,  so  unlike  that  of  the  other  women.  Evi- 
dently she  was  a  foreigner. 

In  passing,  the  lady  gave  Helene  a  smile  of  recog- 
nition; then  stopping  suddenly,  as  if  on  a  second 
thought,  she  turned  back  and  went  up  to  where  Hel- 
ene was  sitting. 

"Do  you  mind  my  sitting  here?"  she  asked  with  a 
smile. 

Helene  was  so  surprised  at  being  spoken  to  by  her 
that  she  could  only  nod  her  assent.  She  passed  her 
gloved  hand  quickly  over  her  face  to  wipe  away  the 
tears  that  had  fallen  unbidden. 

"Don't  mind  me,  Fraulein.  I  know  how  you  feel. 
I've  been  in  trouble  myself." 

Helene  looked  up  and  met  two  kindly  brown  eyes 
looking  in  sympathetic  admiration  into  hers.  The 
face,  with  its  healthy  coloring  and  expression  of  good 
nature,  drew  her  in  spite  of  herself.  She  could  not 
resist  its  strong  appeal.  Smiling  bravely,  she  said : 

"I  am  in  trouble;  but  I  feel  ashamed  of  my  weakness 
in  giving  way.  Thank  you  for  your  sympathy."  And 
rising,  she  made  as  if  to  go. 

But  the  other  put  a  restraining  hand  on  her  arm. 

"Please,  don't  let  me  drive  you  away.  I'm  a 
stranger  here.  Won't  you  sit  awhile  for  a  chat.  I 
think  I  saw  you  at  the  Art  Exhibit.  My  name  is  Mar- 
garet Fisher.  I  am  an  American  and  am  here  on 
business.  Don't  be  frightened,  I  can  assure  you  I'm 
a  perfectly  proper  person.  I  may  be  able  to  help  you, 
if  you  will  let  me,  Fraulein." 

"You  are  very  good,"  replied  Helene,  reseating  her- 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       271 

self.  "I,  too,  am  a  stranger  here.  This  is  my  first 
visit  to  Hanover.  My  name  is  Helene —  Helene 
Barton." 

"Helene — what  a  pretty  name!  Then  you  are  not 
a  native,  though  you  talk  like  one.  Well,  I'm  not  look- 
ing for  information,  thank  goodness.  Are  you  staying 
long  here,  Miss  Barton?" 

"For  a  few  weeks  only.  Both  my  parents  were 
German  born,  but  I  know  no  one  in  this  city." 

"Then  you  are  alone  and  an  orphan,  just  like  myself. 
Well,  we  should  be  friends,  then."  She  drew  a  tiny 
watch  from  her  belt.  "It's  past  twelve;  won't  you 
come  and  take  lunch  with  me?  I  should  enjoy  having 
you." 

"Thank  you.  I  shall  be  delighted.  Do  you  live 
near?" 

"I'm  staying  at  the  Metropole.  I  suppose  you  live 
in  a  pension.  Much  better ;  but  I'm  only  a  transient — 
here  to-day,  gone  to-morrow." 

"Yes,  I  live  at  a  pension;  but  I  often  go  out  for  my 
lunch." 

"Good,  then  we'll  go  to  the  Park  restaurant.  It's 
nice  and  quiet  there,  and  we  can  have  a  good  talk. 
You  needn't  be  afraid  to  come.  I'm  big  enough  to 
chaperon  you." 

Helene  laughed  happily.  It  was  so  comforting  to 
hear  her  friendly,  soft,  confident  voice. 

"You  certainly  look  as  if  you  could  take  care  of 
yourself,  Miss  Fisher."  The  two  laughed  as  they 
walked  towards  the  restaurant. 

The  good  luncheon  which  Miss  Fisher  ordered 
proved  an  excellent  solvent  for  Helene's  state  of  mind, 
and  Miss  Fisher  herself  knew  well  how  to  break  down 
any  barriers  of  restraint  that  might  still  remain.  It 
was  evident  that  she  wanted  to  help  this  young  and 
beautiful  girl  in  distress,  and  when  a  woman  of  Mar- 


272       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

garet  Fisher's  temperament  makes  up  her  mind,  there 
is  nothing  that  will  stop  her. 

It  was  not  long,  therefore,  before  Helene  had  un- 
bosomed herself  of  all  her  anxieties  and  told  her 
new-found  friend  of  the  difficulties  which  she  had 
encountered  in  her  efforts  to  find  some  occupation. 
Miss  Fisher  looked  at  her  admiringly  with  tender, 
motherly  eyes. 

"Poor  dear!"  she  exclaimed,  "I  know  all  about  it. 
I've  been  through  it  myself.  My  father  was  a  German 
— his  people  lived  near  Hanover,  which  is  one  of  the 
reasons  why  I  am  here.  My  business  brought  me  to 
Europe  and  I  took  the  opportunity  to  look  them  up.  I 
am  the  head  of  a  high-class  dressmaking  and  millinery 
establishment  in  New  York,  Madame  Lucile's,  and  I 
came  on  a  buying  trip.  I'm  going  back  next  week — 
as  soon  as  the  new  models  are  ready  for  me." 

"It  must  be  splendid  to  be  so  capable  as  you  are," 
Helene  remarked  with  a  sigh  of  regret. 

"Ah,  but  you  don't  get  there,  my  dear  Miss  Barton, 
without  a  great  deal  of  heart-breaking  work.  It's  not 
so  easy  as  it  looks."  Miss  Fisher's  face  clouded  a  little 
as  if  recalling  an  unpleasant  past,  but  her  face  resumed 
its  bright  and  alert  expression  almost  before  the 
shadow  had  left  it.  She  looked  at  Helene's  beautiful 
countenance  for  a  long  time  and  then  suddenly  she 
said: 

"Won't  you  let  me  help  you?  You  are  too  young 
and  too  pretty  to  fight  this  battle  alone.  It  will  make 
me  happy,  if  you  will.  I  have  lots  of  money — my  firm 
pays  all  the  expenses." 

"You  are  more  than  kind,  dear  Miss  Fisher.  Thank 
you.  I  know  you  mean  well ;  but  I've  some  money  of 
my  own.  I'm  not  so  helpless  as  all  that." 

Helene  spoke  with  her  gentle  and  distinguished  cour- 
tesy, smiling  charmingly  at  the  same  time. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       273 

"My  dear — let  me  call  you  Helene,  won't  you? — 
thank  you.  You  see  I'm  much  older  than  you  are, 
both  in  years  and  experience  of  life.  We'll  drop 
the  subject  for  the  while;  but  let's  stick  together  so 
long  as  I'm  in  Hanover,  shall  we?" 

"I  shall  be  only  too  pleased.  You  are  so  encourag- 
ing and  so — strong.  You  make  me  feel  very  hopeful." 

"That's  all  right.  We'll  just  go  about  and  see  the 
sights.  Maybe  we'll  think  something  out  before  my 
week  is  up." 

They  spent  the  afternoon  together,  and  Helene 
promised  her  new  friend  to  call  on  her  that  evening 
at  her  hotel  to  look  over  the  purchases  she  had 
made. 

The  evening  provided  a  rare  experience  for  Helene. 
Miss  Fisher  showed  her  a  collection  of  wonderful 
laces,  ribbons,  trimmings,  jets  and  ornaments  which 
had  been  acquired  for  the  New  York  market.  What 
impressed  Helene  more,  however,  was  the  quick  deci- 
sive manner  with  which  Miss  Fisher  explained  every- 
thing; the  nimble  hands  which  displayed  the  articles 
to  their  best  advantage;  the  ready  words  which  fell 
from  her  lips  in  praise  of  their  qualities.  Helene  had 
never  imagined  a  woman  could  be  so  capable,  and  at 
the  same  time  so  jolly  and  witty. 

Miss  Fisher,  in  her  turn,  had  not  failed  to  observe 
in  her  shrewd  way,  how  quickly  Helene  assimilated 
the  information,  and  how  alert  the  girl's  mind  showed 
itself,  in  spite  of  its  natural  reserve.  The  remarks, 
too,  she  let  fall  evinced  a  taste  and  judgment  quite  rare. 
She  insisted  on  taking  Helene  to  her  pension  in  a  cab, 
and  promising  to  look  in  on  her  in  her  exile,  as  she 
put  it,  left  her  in  a  happier  state  of  mind  than  she  had 
known  in  many  a  day. 

Miss  Fisher  returned  to  her  hotel  in  a  very  thought- 
ful mood.  She  knew  enough  of  life  to  guess  that  her 


274       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

young  acquaintance  was  a  gently  nurtured  girl  of  a 
refined  family,  unhappily  thrown  upon  her  own  scant 
resources,  and  in  danger  of  being  wrecked  on  the  rocks. 
Her  beauty,  her  gentle  ways  and  voice,  the  pure,  simple 
mind  she  had  shown,  all  had  made  an  indelible  im- 
pression on  her  and  had  won  her  completely.  She 
made  up  her  mind  to  befriend  her. 

The  next  morning  Helene  was  surprised  to  realize 
how  eagerly  she  was  looking  forward  to  Miss  Fisher's 
coming.  The  short  acquaintance,  so  unusually  begun, 
had  so  quickly  ripened  under  the  benign  influence  of 
the  American  girl's  way  of  doing  and  saying  things 
that  Helene  was  quite  conquered.  It  was  all  so  novel 
and  yet  so  humbly  pleasant  that  she  wished  it  would 
go  on  always. 

This  was  the  first  of  a  number  of  meetings  between 
the  two.  Miss  Fisher  sounded  Helene,  and  soon  be- 
came convinced  she  was  really  in  earnest.  She  did 
not  probe  too  deeply  into  the  girl's  family  history — 
only  just  enough  to  find  that  her  judgment  had  been 
correct.  She  learned  that  Helene  could  speak  English 
— and  what  a  charming  English  it  was,  too !  She  was 
sure  Madame  Lucile  would  be  delighted  with  her.  She 
would  be  a  real  acquisition  to  the  business,  she  felt 
convinced  of  it. 

"See  here,  my  dear,"  she  said  suddenly  on  one  of 
their  walks,  "why  not  come  with  me  to  New  York? 
You  tell  me  you  have  neither  friends  nor  relatives  and 
not  even  an  admirer — so  there's  nothing  to  keep  you 
here.  Come  with  me,  and  I'll  see  that  you  get  a  posi- 
tion. New  York  is  a  beautiful  city  with  more  oppor- 
tunities for  a  girl  than  any  other  place  in  the  world. 
You  needn't  be  afraid;  I'll  look  after  you.  We  can 
have  a  little  apartment  together  and  live  the  jolliest 
of  lives.  You  are  a  born  artist,  as  I  saw  from  your 
drawings  and  sketches.  I  am  sure  you'll  get  a  good 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       275 

position  with  the  people  I'm  with.  Will  you  come? 
Say  the  word,  and  we'll  fix  it  up." 

Helene's  big  blue  eyes  opened  wide  in  astonishment 
at  her  friend's  words. 

"Do  you  really  mean  it  ?  Can  I  really  do  the  things 
you  say?" 

"Of  course  you  can,"  and  she  put  her  arms  around 
Helene  and  kissed  her.  "We'll  be  a  couple  of  the  hap- 
piest girls  in  Manhattan.  And  no  man  shall  come  be- 
tween us,  either,  miss — do  you  hear?  Oh,  I'm  so 
happy."  And  Miss  Fisher  forgot  her  dignity  and 
jumped  again.  "I  can  just  see  Madame  Lucile's  ex- 
pression when  she  sees  you.  I'll  tell  her  I've  brought 
the  cleverest  designer  of  hats  in  Europe — the  peer  of 
modistes!  And  won't  Miss  Foucher,  the  head  trim- 
mer, stare!  Hooray." 

It  did  not  take  Miss  Fisher  long  to  make  all  the 
necessary  arrangements  for  the  voyage.  She  had  Hel- 
ene's berth  engaged,  a  steamer  trunk  at  her  lodgings 
and  a  quantity  of  necessary  purchases  made  in  less  time 
than  it  would  have  taken  Helene  even  to  think  about 
them.  The  money  she  spent  seemed  enormous  to 
Helene. 

"Never  mind,  my  dear.  These  things  cost  far  more 
in  New  York,  where  you'll  want  them — and  you're 
saving  money  by  buying  them  here.  It's  dollars  in 
New  York — not  marks.  Just  you  leave  it  to  me." 

Helene  looked  on  aghast  and  could  make  no  answer. 
Miss  Fisher  had  told  her  she  was  "some  shopper,"  and 
she  had  certainly  not  exaggerated.  The  way  she  made 
the  clerks  skip  about  sent  the  cold  shivers  down  Hel- 
ene's spine.  By  dusk  every  article  had  been  arranged 
for,  and  there  was  now  nothing  to  do  but  wait  until 
the  next  morning's  train,  which  would  take  them  to 
Bremen. 

As  this  was  to  be  the  last  evening  before  sailing, 


276       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Miss  Fisher  proposed  a  "blow-out."  They'd  have 
dinner  together  and  go  to  the  opera.  With  Miss  Fisher, 
to  propose  was  to  act.  The  dinner  was  most  enjoyable, 
and  the  opera,  "Romeo  and  Julietta,"  neither  of  them 
had  ever  heard,  so  that  they  had,  as  Miss  Fisher  put  it 
afterwards,  "  the  time  of  their  life." 

As  they  parted  for  the  night,  they  decided  to  pay 
a  visit  to  the  park  in  the  morning  and  have  luncheon 
in  the  restaurant  there,  for  old  time's  sake,  before  tak- 
ing the  train. 

The  day  opened  cold  and  blustering.  But  Margaret 
saw  in  it  a  good  omen.  "Leave  in  rain  and  arrive  in 
sunshine,"  she  quoted  from  some  hidden  recess  in  the 
treasury  of  her  knowledge.  But  it  didn't  prevent  them 
shivering  in  the  park. 

"Wait  until  we  get  to  New  York.  That's  the  place 
for  sunshine,  if  you  like.  And  not  only  sunshine,  my 
dear  Helene,  but  a  sunny  life." 

To  Helene,  Bremen  was  a  most  bewildering  place. 
If  it  had  not  been  for  Margaret  she  would  never  have 
known  where  to  go  or  what  to  do  first.  But  Margaret 
knew  everything.  She  saw  that  the  tickets  were  correct, 
saw  to  the  tickets  for  the  dock  at  Bremerhaven,  had 
their  baggage  carefully  labeled  and  checked  and  wound 
up  at  the  big  steamer  as  fresh  as  when  they  had  left 
Hanover.  Immediately  they  boarded  the  vessel  Mar- 
garet saw  to  the  stateroom,  found  out  which  side  of 
the  ship  was  the  sunny  side  and  had  their  deck  chairs 
marked  and  placed  there.  She  saw  the  chief  steward 
and  arranged  with  him  for  good  seats  at  the  dining 
table;  she  found  the  stewardess  who  was  assigned  to 
their  cabin  and  came  to  a  satisfactory  understanding 
with  her  also. 

"You  see,  my  dear  Helene,"  she  explained  to  the 
now  utterly  bewildered  girl,  "we're  going  to  live  on 
this  boat  for  eight  days.  We'd  better  be  comfortable 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       277 

•while  we  are  here.  We  might  be  good  sailors,  and  then 
we  might  not.  You  never  know.  So  it's  best  to  be 
on  the  safe  side.  If  either  of  us  get  seasick  now, 
that  stewardess  will  look  after  us/' 

The  great  foghorn  sent  out  a  roaring  sound  that 
seemed  to  Helene  loud  enough  for  the  whole  world  to 
hear.  Clumsily,  at  first,  the  big  ship  moved,  and  then, 
as  she  gathered  headway,  steamed  out  into  the  gray 
expanse  of  the  seeming  boundless  sea.  Helene  gazed 
with  bated  breath  and  beating  heart  at  the  fast  receding- 
land.  There  was  no  turning  back  now.  She  had  in- 
deed burned  her  bridges.  How  would  she  fare  in  this 
new  land  to  which  she  was  sailing? 

A  strong  arm  slipped  round  her  waist  and  a  warm 
hand  clasped  hers  in  a  firm,  motherly  grip.  Margaret 
had  seen  the  expression  on  the  poor  girl's  face  and  had 
come  to  give  her  comfort. 

"Have  no  fear,  dear,  all  will  be  well." 

Helene  let  her  head  fall  on  her  friend's  ample  breast 
and  looked  up  to  the  soft  brown  eyes  that  were  so  kind 
in  their  meaning. 

"You  are  a  great  comfort,  dear  friend.  I  shall  al- 
ways love  you,  Margaret." 

The  voyage  was  calm  and  uneventful.  The  weath- 
er was  fine  all  the  way  and  they  enjoyed  the  eight 
days  on  the  Atlantic  as  though  they  were  two  school- 
girls out  on  a  vacation.  On  the  morning  of  the 
eighth  day  the  good  ship  steamed  majestically  up 
the  Bay  and  landed  the  girls  on  the  Jersey  shore, 
from  whence  Helene  had  a  river  view  of  New 
York. 

But  the  impressiveness  of  that  sight  was  nothing  to 
her  to  the  noise  and  rush  of  the  city  itself  when  she 
found  herself  being  carried  rapidly  on  the  street  rail- 
road. A  feeling  of  terrible  depression  came  over  her. 


278       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

It  was  all  so  dirty,  so  uncouth,  so  raw.  From  all  sides 
came  clanging  of  bells,  shrieking  of  whistles,  raucous 
cries.  A  wretched  drizzle  was  falling  from  a  leaden 
mist  of  sky.  The  people  hustled  and  jostled  each 
other,  hot  and  steaming  from  under  waterproofs  and 
umbrellas.  They  seemed  an  endless  stream  of  human- 
ity coming  apparently  from  nowhere  and  going  any- 
where and  everywhere. 

But  to  Margaret  it  was  glorious.  She  sniffed  the 
raw,  damp  air  and  her  cheeks  glowed. 

"Oh,  but  it's  good  to  be  back!  My  proverb  didn't 
hold  out!  We  landed  on  a  wet  day  after  all.  Well, 
never  mind.  It'll  rain  sunshine  to-morrow.  You 
don't  mind,  do  you  ?" 

"Oh,  no,  Margaret.  I  think  it's  wonderful."  What 
traffic!  What  life!  Her  voice  was  drowned  in  the 
thunder  of  trains  rushing  over  their  heads.  They  were 
traveling  along  the  avenue  towards  Margaret's  rooms. 
Helene  marvelled  how  the  people  could  bear  up  un- 
der such  dreadful  noises.  Surely  their  senses  must  get 
dulled  and  deadened  in  time !  They  crossed  Broadway 
at  the  risk  of  their  lives,  as  it  seemed  to  her,  but  Mar- 
garet had  Helene  by  the  hand  and  laughed  aloud. 
Soon  they  entered  a  quiet  square  in  the  center  of 
which  was  a  little  park  shut  in  by  iron  railings.  Mar- 
garet explained  that  this  was  Gramercy  Park  where 
she  lived. 

Ascending  the  brown  stone  steps  of  a  house  near 
the  entrance  to  the  square,  Margaret  pressed  the  bell 
button.  The  door  had  barely  opened  when  a  loud, 
glad  exclamation  greeted  the  two  girls. 

"Oh,  Miss  Fisher,  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you." 

"Hello,  Jane!  How  are  you?  How's  Mrs.  Kane? 
Well  ?  Ah,  that's  good.  Tell  her  I've  brought  a  friend 
who  is  going  to  stay  with  me.  My  room's  ready,  I  sup- 
pose? Good.  Well,  we're  going  upstairs,  but  we'll  be 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       279 

down  for  lunch.  I'll  be  glad  to  see  Mrs.  Kane  if  she 
can  come  up." 

Then  turning  to  Helene  she  smiled : 

"Come  along  up,  Helene.  Our  things  won't  be  here 
for  some  time;  but  we'll  get  along  somehow." 

Soon  they  were  joined  by  the  landlady,  a  pleasant- 
faced,  middle-aged  little  woman  with  a  gentle  voice 
and  manner.  She  greeted  Margaret  affectionately  and 
shook  hands  with  Helene  on  being  introduced  to  her. 

"My  friend  will  stay  with  me,  Mrs.  Kane,  if  you 
don't  mind,  until  you  can  find  her  a  room.  Have  you 
one  free?" 

"Yes,  Miss  Fisher,  but  it's  only  the  hall  bed-room 
on  this  floor.  Will  it  do?" 

"Of  course  it  will.    Fix  it  up  for  her,  there's  a  dear." 

The  landlady  left,  casting  admiring  glances  at 
Helene. 

"Helen,  dear — it's  to  be  Helen  now,  no  French  edg- 
ings here,  you  know.  Are  you  happy?" 

Helene  for  answer  went  up  to  Margaret  and  put- 
ting her  arms  around  her  neck  laid  her  head  on  the 
tall  girl's  breast. 

"You  are  too  good  to  me,  Margaret." 

Margaret  was  deeply  moved. 

"Who  could  help  being  good  to  you,  my  dear,"  she 
said,  stroking  Helene's  hair. 

When  night  came  and  Helene  laid  her  tired  head  on 
the  soft  pillow  of  her  bed  in  the  little  hall-room,  she 
breathed  a  prayer  of  deep  gratitude.  Mr.  Morton  was 
right.  His  country  was  God's  own  country.  Then 
into  her  heart  crept  a  feeling  of  sweet  gladness.  Per- 
haps— she  would  meet  him  again — her  knight,  sans 
pcur  et  sans  reproche.  And,  smiling,  she  slept. 


CHAPTER   XXII 

JOHN  MORTON  walked  the  windy  deck  of  the 
ship  as  though  he  were  tramping  all  the  way  to 
Europe.  He  counted  the  throbbings  of  the  great 
engine  and  the  turns  of  the  screws,  so  anxious  and  im- 
patient was  he.  The  hours  were  like  days  and  the  days 
like  weeks. 

Two  months  had  passed  since  he  had  placed  Helene 
in  Mr.  Tyler's  care,  and  those  two  months  had  left  their 
marks  on  him.  They  had  changed  him  from  an  adven- 
turous, happy  young  fellow  into  a  sober,  thoughtful 
man.  But  while  his  brow  had  become  lined  his  heart 
still  preserved  its  faith  and  hope.  He  had  made  up 
his  mind  that  he  would  seek  out  Helene  and  marry  her 
at  once,  if  she  would  have  him.  During  his  enforced 
absence  in  America  he  experienced  so  overwhelming 
a  desire  that  he  could  scarce  restrain  himself  from 
throwing  everything  up  to  satisfy  his  heart's  cravings 
for  a  mere  sight  of  her  lovely  face.  In  his  thoughts 
she  stood  out,  by  day  and  by  night,  as  a  thing  for  rev- 
erence and  worship. 

Surely,  by  this  time  Don  would  have  traced  her ;  and 
he  pictured  to  himself  the  very  place  he  would  meet 
her,  how  he  would  greet  her,  the  lovely  face  as  it  would 
look  in  response  to  his  pleadings. 

In  Liverpool,  disquieting  telegrams  and  letters 
awaited  him.  No  trace  of  the  Comtesse.  The  Prin- 
cess wrote  to  say  that  she  knew  nothing  of  Helene's 
whereabouts.  She  had  left  a  short  note  on  leaving 
Weimar,  but  it  contained  no  reference  to  where  she 

280 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       281 

was  going.  She  had  drawn  some  money  out  of  the 
bank,  and  that  was  all  she  could  learn  there.  Her  maid 
knew  nothing  definite. 

Mr.  Tyler  had  written  in  like  manner.  The  police 
of  Dresden,  Munich,  Berlin  and  Vienna  had  been  com- 
municated with,  but  with  no  results.  Detectives  had 
been  employed  to  no  purpose.  Helene  seemed  to  have 
disappeared  from  off  the  face  of  the  earth. 

"The  idiots !"  muttered  John  in  anger,  "they  couldn't 
find  the  Great  Pyramid  in  a  ten-acre  lot." 

At  Weimar  he  spent  hours  going  over  everything" 
with  Donald ;  but  what  that  faithful  servitor  reported 
served  only  to  deepen  the  mystery.  One  thing,  how- 
ever, was  clear — Helene  had  left  in  a  very  unhappy 
state  of  mind. 

He  wrote  an  urgent  note  to  the  Princess  requesting 
an  interview.  The  interview  was  a  painful  one  to  both. 
The  Princess  broke  down  and  bemoaned  her  bitter  fate 
— her  inability  to  protect  her  friend.  She  told  him 
the  whole  story  of  the  scene  in  the  reception-room  and 
its  cause. 

Faugh !  The  thing  was  nauseating  to  John.  What 
a  Court!  What  people  these  princelets  were!  He 
guessed  instinctively  that  it  was  Witherspoon  who  was 
responsible  for  the  article.  He  would  settle  with  that 
fellow  another  time.  He  left  the  Princess  feeling  no 
great  respect  for  her  courage,  and  more  resolved  than 
ever  to  leave  no  stone  unturned. 

And  now  he  began  a  systematic  hunt,  on  his  own 
account,  throughout  almost  all  Europe.  Advertise- 
ments were  printed  in  the  principal  newspapers.  Police 
records  and  hotel  registers  examined,  detectives  em- 
ployed. Blue-eyed  girls  who  read  Helene's  description 
in  the  advertisements  dreamed  thrilling  romances  and 
envied  the  maid  who,  no  doubt,  was  the  heiress  to  some 
enormously  rich  uncle.  Girls  with  gray  eyes  thought 
19 


282       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

them  blue  and  weaved  tales  of  a  Prince  Charming 
coming  to  set  them  free.  Old  maids  sighed  and  old 
men  smiled.  But,  with  all  the  interest  that  was  excited, 
and  despite  the  lavish  expenditure  of  money,  the  real 
Helene  remained  undiscovered. 

Weeks  went  by  and  Morton  became  very  anxious. 
He  grew  nervous  and  restless.  As  he  walked  the 
streets  he  would  examine  every  young  woman  he 
passed  with  quick,  furtive  glances  in  the  vain  hope 
that  one  of  them  might  be  Helene. 

He  consulted  with  Mr.  Tyler  frequently  and  that 
wise  man  told  him  not  to  worry.  The  girl  herself, 
he  felt  sure,  would  write  to  him.  John  clung  desper- 
ately to  this  suggestion.  He  began  calculating  the  time 
it  would  take  a  letter  to  get  back  to  him  from  America 
should  she  have  written  him  there.  Judge  Lowell  had 
his  instructions  and  would  cable  him  immediately  on 
its  receipt.  The  thought  calmed  him  greatly  and  he 
thanked  Tyler.  He  would  wait  in  Weimar  until  the 
end  of  February,  by  which  time  he  reckoned  a  letter 
might  arrive  in  Cleveland. 

Tyler's  judgment  was  justified.  On  the  twenty- 
seventh  Morton  received  a  cable  from  his  lawyer  in- 
forming him  that  a  letter  from  Germany  had  been 
received  and  asking  for  instructions.  He  promptly 
cabled  back  to  open  the  letter  and  wire  him  the  where- 
abouts of  the  writer. 

The  answer  came:  "Party  left  for  place  not  given. 
Intends  to  remain  hidden  for  some  time.  Is  well. 
Promises  to  write  in  good  time.  Copy  mailed.  My 
advice  not  to  worry.  Family  all  well." 

There  was  nothing  to  do  now  but  to  wait.  His 
fears,  it  is  true,  were  allayed,  but  how  long  would  it 
be  before  he  would  hear  from  her  again?  And  what 
should  he  do  meanwhile?  On  referring  his  perplexity 
to  Tyler,  that  sensible  man  suggested  that  he  should 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       283 

take  a  trip  around  Germany  and  look  up  his  old  haunts. 
He  decided  to  do  this. 

As  there  was  now  nothing  which  should  keep  Mc- 
Cormick  in  Weimar,  he  sent  him  home,  there  to  await 
further  orders.  He  himself  went  to  Bonn,  his  Alma 
Mater,  and  from  there  to  Munich,  where  he  renewed 
his  acquaintance  with  an  assistant  professor  of  philoso- 
phy, whom  he  found  happily  married.  This  last  visit 
did  him  great  good.  The  peaceful  home  of  his  old 
tutor,  where  he  stayed  a  few  days,  acted  beneficially 
on  his  nerves  and  gave  him  a  taste  of  genuine  happi- 
ness which  lasted  him  for  many  days. 

But  his  restlessness  returned.  He  could  not  recon- 
cile himself  to  patient  waiting.  His  thoughts  of  Hel- 
ene,  who  was  never  entirely  out  of  his  mind,  were 
charged  with  anxiety  about  her  welfare.  She  was  so 
inexperienced,  so  young,  so  beautiful  that  he  felt  she 
would  never  be  able  to  fight  her  way  alone.  He  knew 
how  cruel  the  world  could  be  to  one  of  her  sensitive 
nature. 

Obeying  an  irresistible  impulse  he  suddenly  took  a 
train  for  Vienna.  It  was  there  he  had  last  seen  Helene. 
He  stayed  at  the  Bristol  and  idled  his  time  wandering 
aimlessly  round  the  city  pleasing  himself  with  the 
memories  the  place  recalled.  The  son  of  Dan  Morton 
the  pioneer  was  no  longer  the  hard-headed  man  of 
business.  He  had  become  nature's  child — the  young 
male  longing  for  his  mate.  His  mother  was  right; 
there  was  more  of  the  idealistic  Randolphs  than  of  the 
practical  Mortons  in  him.  At  the  same  time,  his  train- 
ing made  him  chafe  because  he  could  not  accomplish 
what  he  had  set  his  mind  on  so  determinedly.  Then 
the  humor  of  the  situation  struck  him  and  he  laughed 
aloud.  It  was  a  saving  grace  of  a  laugh ;  for  it  brought 
back  his  common  sense. 

That  evening,  for  the  first  time  in  many  a  day,  he 


284       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

dressed  and  went  to  the  opera.  He  listened  to  "Romeo 
and  Julietta,"  played  by  the  splendid  company  of  the 
Imperial  Court.  He  had  an  entrancing  time.  Juliet 
was  Helene  and  he  Romeo.  If  only  some  kind-hearted 
fairy  could  have  whispered  to  him  that  the  same  strains 
which  were  moving  him  to  so  exquisite  a  response 
would,  later,  stir  her  heart  strings  in  like  wise!  But 
fairies  have  been  banished  from  our  sophisticated 
world.  Only  children  see  them  and  hold  communion 
with  them  now. 

From  Vienna  Morton  went  to  Berlin  and  spent  a 
few  days  with  the  Tylers.  They  were  glad  to  see  him 
looking  so  well  and  seeming  more  contented.  "Youth 
is  a  wonderful  gift,"  thought  the  old  diplomatist,  while 
his  wife  could  not  resist  saying  to  her  husband :  "What 
a  pity  the  girl  is  so  silly." 

At  last  the  long-looked- for  letter  arrived.  John  read 
and  reread  it  a  dozen  times,  devouring  every  word  and 
examining  each  single  sentence  for  some  hint  for  which 
his  heart  asked.  He  saw  nothing  to  make  him  anxious, 
but  he  realized  now  that  he  must  respect  her  resolu- 
tions. He  gave  up  all  further  inquiries  and  search  and 
returned  to  New  York,  quietly  resolved  and  happily 
content  to  wait  her  own  sweet  pleasure.  The  fates 
would  be  kind  to  him,  he  was  sure. 

When  Morton  returned  to  America,  he  found  that 
his  mother  and  sister  had  gone  South.  He  was  not 
sorry  they  were  away,  since  it  left  him  free  to  give  his 
entire  thoughts  and  energies  to  the  business — work, 
downright  hard  work  was  the  best  medicine  for  a 
mind  distracted  as  his  was.  With  Morton-like  en- 
thusiasm he  plunged  into  the  maelstrom  of  the  many 
interests  of  his  vast  estates.  He  was  at  the  office  from 
morning  until,  often,  late  in  the  evening,  consulting, 
directing,  financing  and  operating.  He  took  to  the 
game  like  a  duck  to  water,  and  found  a  new  interest 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       285 

in  its  many-sided  activities,  and  a  new  enjoyment  in 
meeting  the  men  who  were  playing  the  game  either 
with  him  or  against  him.  He  was  a  king  ruling  a 
mighty  empire,  the  safety  and  integrity  of  which  de- 
pended largely  on  his  wise  judgment  and  decisive 
action.  The  experience  ripened  him. 

It  was  during  this  period  that  a  letter  came  from 
Mr.  Tyler  informing  him  that  the  Comtesse's  maid, 
Josephine,  had  heard  from  her  aunt,  Anna  Schreiber, 
in  Altenberg,  giving  important  news  concerning  her 
mistress.  It  appeared  that  Helene,  after  leaving  the 
Weimar  Court,  had  stayed  with  her  old  nurse  for  some 
weeks  in  the  quiet  little  suburb.  Helene  had  exacted 
a  promise  from  her  nurse  not  to  disclose  her  where- 
abouts ;  but  now  that  she  had  suddenly  left  her,  Anna 
had  written  to  her  niece  to  know  if  the  Comtesse  had 
returned  to  Weimar.  Tyler  had  immediately  gone  to 
Altenberg  to  find  out  further  details.  He  learned  from 
Mrs.  Schreiber  that  Helene  had  left  a  note  stating 
that  she  was  going  to  Munich;  but  on  inquiry  at  the 
railway  station  he  was  told  that  no  ticket  for  Munich 
had  been  sold  on  the  day  Helene  had  left.  He  con- 
cluded by  assuring  Morton  that  he  would  let  him  know 
if  he  learned  anything  of  importance. 

The  receipt  of  this  letter  from  Tyler  threw  John 
back  into  his  old  state  of  anxiety  and  restlessness. 
He  absented  himself  from  the  office  and  spent  the  time 
alone  in  his  study  brooding  over  what  he  should  do. 

His  business  associates  could  not  understand  him. 
They  had  begun  to  admire  the  young  man,  and  had 
thought  him  a  chip  of  the  old  block.  He  had  taken  the 
reins  with  masterly  hands  and  had  proved  himself  a 
worthy  successor  to  the  old  man.  But  this  sudden 
change  puzzled  them. 

With  the  approach  of  Easter  Mrs.  Morton  and  Ruth 
returned  and  John  joined  them  in  a  quiet  hotel  on 


286       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

the  avenue.  The  first  breath  of  spring  brought  him 
the  news  that  Helene  had  been  in  Hanover,  but  had 
left  quite  suddenly,  no  one  knew  where.  Mr.  Tyler, 
who  sent  the  information,  wound  up  his  letter  by  ad- 
vising John  to  give  up  troubling  himself  about  the 
girl.  "It  is  evident,"  he  wrote,  "that  she  doesn't  want 
you  to  find  her.  Give  up  this  useless  hunt  and  sit  down 
calmly  and  wait  until  she  fulfills  her  promise  to  write 
to  you." 

John  smiled  sadly  as  he  read  the  well-meant  advice. 
It  was  all  very  easy  to  write  those  words,  but  to  act 
on  them  was  not  quite  so  simple.  However,  he  made 
up  his  mind. 

That  evening  he  dined  at  his  club  and  utterly  sur- 
prised his  friends  by  his  liveliness  and  change  of  man- 
ner. They  didn't  recognize  the  Morton  who  chatted 
to  them  in  this  free  and  easy  way  and  told  amusing 
stories  with  the  rest.  It  was  his  first  plunge  into  a 
sea  of  dissipation  in  which  he  swam  as  the  mood  seized 
him,  which  it  not  unfrequently  did.  In  a  short  time, 
he  was  eagerly  welcomed  as  "a  sport"  by  those  who 
considered  themselves  of  that  select  order  of  beings. 
He  went  in  for  horses  and  fine  carriages ;  gave  sump- 
tuous dinners,  attended  race  meetings,  and  became  the 
envy  of  the  idle  and  the  admiration  of  the  foolish. 
Well  might  his  business  friends  wonder  what  had  come 
over  John  R.  Morton! 

His  mother  and  sister  were  among  the  first  to  notice 
the  alteration  in  him.  It  distressed  them  deeply.  The 
two  held  a  council  of  war  and  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  John  needed  a  change.  Mrs.  Morton  suggested  a 
trip  to  Japan  or  papa's  hobby  to  convert  the  home  on 
the  Hudson  into  a  Versailles,  or  a  yacht. 

But  Ruth,  with  the  wisdom  that  comes  early  to 
American  maids,  pursed  her  pretty  lips  and  turned  up 
her  impudent  little  nose  at  her  mother's  ideas. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       287 

"No,  dear  mamma,  none  of  those  things  will  do," 
she  said  decidedly.  "John  is  in  love.  If  he  isn't,  he 
ought  to  be.  What  we  must  do  is  to  get  him  mar- 
ried." 

Mrs.  Morton  opened  her  eyes  wide  at  her  daugh- 
ter's plain-spoken  words.  The  precocity  of  the  chicken 
"was  amusing  and  yet,  it  seemed  to  her,  on  second 
thought,  that  it  hit  the  bull's  eye.  The  suggestion  ap- 
pealed to  her  strongly,  and  the  woman  in  the  mother 
.could  not  resist  the  prospect  of  the  peculiar  pleasure 
of  match-making.  Besides,  it  was  time  John  married. 
He  was  the  head  of  the  house. 

Thus  was  formed  the  conspiracy  in  which  two  lov- 
ing women  sought  to  undo  all  that  the  object  of  their 
affection  had  been  living  for.  Against  such  a  com- 
bination, the  strongest  man  must  of  necessity  be  help- 
less. 

The  coming  of  the  spring,  therefore,  found  the  Mor- 
tons opening  up  their  country  residence  on  the  Hud- 
son. Officially  John  was  the  master,  but  actually  he 
was  a  guest  with  the  rest  who  were  invited.  The 
place  was  ruled  by  Ruth  through  her  mother. 

Every  evening  when  John  came  from  business  he 
would  find  the  house  and  its  magnificent  gardens  and 
terraces  taken  possession  of  by  friends  who  had  been 
invited  for  a  week  or  the  week-end.  Mostly  these 
were  young  women — friends  of  Ruth  whom  she  had 
known  in  college  or  had  met  at  different  seasons.  He 
was  introduced  to  them  all.  Some  he  found  interest- 
ing, others  amusing  and  others  excellent  companions 
at  riding,  golfing  or  sailing.  Before  he  had  realized 
it  he  began  to  look  forward  to  these  afternoons  and 
evenings  on  the  river.  The  lovely  spring  weather, 
too,  acted  on  him  like  a  tonic.  He  threw  off  his 
moroseness  and  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  healthy 
gay  life  with  all  the  gusto  of  youth. 


288       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Occasionally,  he  would  ask  his  sister  the  meaning 
of  all  this  gayety  and  entertaining,  but  that  young 
woman  would  look  at  him  innocently  with  round  eyes 
and  would  answer  that  she  was  just  giving  her  friends 
a  good  time  and  having  one  herself.  If  he  wouldn't 
bring  his  friends,  she  had  to  bring  hers.  And  Ruth 
would  leave  him  not  a  little  puzzled  and  also  not  at 
all  displeased  that  things  were  as  they  were. 

But  if  Ruth  and  her  mother  had  expected  that  John 
would  fall  a  victim  to  the  fascinations  of  one  of  the 
many  charming  girls  they  had  so  cleverly  placed  in 
his  way,  they  were  doomed  to  bitter  disappointment. 
He  took  things  as  he  found  them  and  enjoyed  himself 
to  the  full.  But  it  never  went  further.  The  pretty 
faces  and  alluring  graces  only  served  to  remind  him 
more  poignantly  of  "the  girl  he  had  left  behind  him." 
Helene's  sweet  face,  Helene's  blue  eyes,  Helene's  soft 
voice,  were  always  in  his  mind,  and  if  he  ever  was 
roused  to  a  tender  feeling  for  one  of  Ruth's  friends, 
the  vision  of  Helene  would  rise  up  and  he  would  sigh 
and  turn  away. 

As  the  season  advanced  his  mother  and  Ruth  real- 
ized that  their  scheme,  like  many  others  of  "mice  and 
men/'  had  failed.  It  vexed  Mrs.  Morton  and  she  took 
occasion  to  vent  her  feelings  to  her  son. 

"John,  what's  the  matter  with  you?"  she  asked, 
"why  are  you  avoiding  the  girls  who  come  here?" 

John  smiled  and  at  once  saw  the  meaning  of  the 
house-parties. 

"Dear  mother,  I'm  not  avoiding  them.  I've  had  a 
delightful  time,  thanks  to  you  and  Ruth." 

"But  don't  you  think,  dear,  it's  time  you  settled 
down?" 

"Oh,  there's  still  time  for  that.  I'm  only  thirty- 
three." 

"Your  father  was  married  long  before  he  was  that 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       289 

age.  He  used  to  say  that  it  was  to  his  early  marriage 
that  he  owed  his  success." 

"Ah,  my  dear  mother,  but  you  forget  he  was  very 
lucky.  There  are  not  many  girls  like  you  in  the  world." 

His  mother  smiled  and  shook  her  head. 

"It's  very  nice  of  you  to  say  that,  John,  but  you 
know  it's  no  answer  to  my  question.  I  am  really  seri- 
ous. I  want  you  to  get  married.  I  want  to  see  you 
happy  and  the  father  of  children.  My  old  arms  ache 
to  hold  a  grandchild." 

The  good  lady's  eyes  filled  with  tears.  John  was 
moved. 

"Dear  mother,  you're  the  best  mother  in  the  world. 
I'll  tell  you  the  truth.  I  have  not  married  because  the 
woman  I  love  is  lost  to  me.  I  met  her  in  Europe,  as 
I  told  you,  and  she  has  disappeared.  I've  done  all  I 
could  do  to  find  her,  but  without  success.  I  am  wait- 
ing in  the  hope  that  I  may  meet  her  again." 

"Who  is  she,  John?" 

"The  most  beautiful  and  the  noblest  girl  in  the 
world." 

Mrs.  Morton  smiled  plaintively  and  nodded  slowly 
several  times. 

"Of  course,  my  dear,  but  who  is  she  ?  The  girl  you 
told  me  about  when  you  came  back?" 

"Yes ;  but  please  don't  press  me  for  further  particu- 
lars. When  I  find  her  I  will  tell  you.  I  hope  with  all 
my  heart  she  will  have  me.  I  know  you  will  love  her. 
All  I  ask  of  you,  dear  mother,  is  to  give  me  time." 

The  good  lady  was  greatly  moved  by  this  display 
of  her  son's  feelings.  It  was  evident  that  this  love 
which  possessed  him  was  a  very  serious  one.  John 
saw  her  anxiety  and  putting  his  arms  round  her  shoul- 
ders, he  said : 

"Mother,  dear,  you  will  love  her,  too,  I  know.  She 
is  just  about  Ruth's  age  and  the  loveliest  girl  God  ever 


290       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

created.  Won't  you,  please,  have  faith  in  me?  You 
will  not  be  disappointed.  If  I  can  wait,  surely,  you 
can.  Now,  dear,  just  dry  your  eyes  and  believe  that 
I  know  what  is  best  for  my  happiness." 

She  had  to  let  the  matter  rest  there.  She  told  Ruth 
it  was  useless  for  them  to  go  on  with  their  plans,  be- 
cause John  had  plans  of  his  own.  An  unfortunate  re- 
mark to  make  to  Ruth  since  it  acted  like  a  match  to 
the  dry  tinder  of  her  curiosity.  Who  was  she  ?  What 
was  she  ?  Where  was  she  ?  Where  had  he  met  her  ? 
Where  was  she  now  ?  Would  she  meet  her  ? 

To  all  these  questions  Mrs.  Morton  could,  of  course, 
give  no  answer.  John  had  not  told  her.  They  must 
wait  his  time.  He  did  not  himself  know  where  she 
was.  He  was  hoping  to  find  her. 

Ah,  then  it  was  a  real  romance !  How  fascinatingly 
interesting!  And  Ruth,  afraid  to  question  her  brother 
herself,  gave  free  rein  to  her  imagination.  Nothing 
but  a  princess  would  satisfy  her  ideas  of  what  her 
brother  deserved.  She  must  be  the  daughter  of  one 
of  the  Balkan  kings,  and  the  lady  had  to  wait  until  she 
was  called  to  the  throne.  She  hoped,  however,  John 
wouldn't  get  mixed  up  in  those  wars  there.  Still,  John 
would  know  how  to  handle  matters  when  once  they 
were  put  up  to  him.  She  didn't  mind  what  happened 
so  long  as  he  would  be  happy.  And,  after  all,  it  was 
fine  to  have  a  brother  who  didn't  run  after  girls  and 
who  gave  his  sister  good  times.  Thus  did  Ruth  recon- 
cile herself  to  the  inevitable,  like  the  practical  philos- 
opher she  was. 

The  summer  found  the  Mortons  at  Newport.  John 
would  come  up  for  week-ends  from  the  city  and  suf- 
fer the  boredom  of  the  clubs.  The  men  he  met  ap- 
pealed to  him  not  at  all;  and  a  man  can  be  no  more 
alone  than  when  with  his  fellow-men  if  he  declines  to 
live  their  lives.  If,  occasionally,  he  drifted  with  the 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       291 

rest,  he  did  not  drift  far.  His  good  sense,  his  self- 
esteem  and  inborn  dignity  of  character  prevented  him 
from  losing  himself  in  vulgar  pleasures  or  in  seeking 
a  cheap  notoriety. 

The  understanding  he  arrived  at  with  his  mother 
had  this  one  good  effect — it  recalled  him  to  his  better 
self.  He  gave  up  his  horses  and  avoided  the  "set"  he 
had  come  to  know  during  his  temporary  lapse.  He 
went  back  to  his  business  doubly  determined  to  give 
it  his  earnest  thought  and  energies,  and  the  dollars 
kept  rolling  in.  He  became  a  recognized  power  in  the 
world  of  finance  and  people  began  to  say  of  him  that 
"he  beats  the  old  man." 

But  in  the  quiet  of  his  own  room,  he  would  sit  of 
an  evening  alone  engaged  in  what  he  smilingly  said 
to  himself  were  "Hellenic  studies."  Helene's  photo- 
graph— the  same  he  had  received  from  Count  Ron- 
dell's  hand  on  that  memorable  interview  on  the  steamer 
— was  never  moved  from  his  study  table.  The  sweet 
face  looked  out  at  him  with  all  the  power  of  its  insist- 
ent beauty.  Why  had  he  not  carried  her  off  at  Vienna 
and  married  her  there  and  then  ?  What  a  fool  he  had 
been! 

Now,  all  he  could  do  was  to  wait.  She  had  said 
in  her  letter  that  she  would  write  him  again  a  year 
hence.  He  read  the  letter  again.  No ;  it  said,  "when 
autumn  comes."  Ah,  well — autumn  was  not  so  far 
off.  But  oh,  if  he  could  but  see  her  for  just  one  min- 
ute !  He  wondered  if  there  was  any  truth  in  his  friend, 
Professor  Guermot's  theory  about  thought  transfer- 
ence. If  only  he  could  send  her  a  telepathic  message 
to  say  to  her:  "Helene,  Helene,  I  love  you.  I  am 
waiting  for  you,  dearest,  with  my  heart  in  my  hand. 
Time  is  flying,  and  I  want  you — I  want  you."  Surely, 
she  was  somewhere  in  this  wide  world  where  his  im- 
passioned thoughts  might  reach  her !  Was  she  happy  ? 


292       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Was  she  well?  Perhaps  she  was  in  distress  and  in 
need!  Damn  money!  Damn  fame!  If  it  hadn't  been 
for  that  disgusting  newspaper  everything  would  have 
been  so  different.  Fate  must  have  loaded  the  dice 
against  him,  as  though  she  had  said  to  him :  "Heads 
I  win,  tails  you  lose." 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

MARGARET  FISHER,  the  buxom  chaperon 
of  Helena  Barton,  soon  settled  down  to  her 
life  in  New  York  as  she  had  planned  it  with 
her  friend  in  Hanover.  The  day  following  their  land- 
ing she  was  again  in  the  spacious  rooms  of  the  Modiste 
establishment  known  as  "Lucile's,"  and,  as  of  old,  one 
of  its  moving  spirits. 

As  she  had  predicted,  she  found  it  no  difficult  mat- 
ter to  interest  Madame  Lucile  (a  canny  Scotchwoman 
from  Glasgow  by  way  of  Dublin  and  London  and  a 
two  years'  sojourn  in  "Paree")  in  her  young  protegee. 
Madame  no  sooner  set  her  shrewd  eyes  on  Helene 
than  she  became  at  once  interested.  She  realized  at  a 
glance  the  business  possibilities  in  a  girl  of  her  refined 
manners,  winning  ways  and  pretty  foreign  speech. 
These  qualities  were  certain  to  subdue  the  most  petu- 
lant and  exacting  of  her  clients.  And  when  she  found 
that  the  girl  also  possessed  both  an  excellent  taste  in 
colors  and  an  unusual  gift  for  design,  she  knew  that 
a  treasure  had  been  brought  to  her. 

Helene  was  installed  in  a  little  room  at  the  rear  de- 
voted to  the  assembling  of  the  ornaments  for  the  fin- 
ishing of  those  exclusive  hats  so  coveted  by  the  ladies 
of  New  York,  and  it  was  not  long  before  she  became 
indispensable  to  this  department.  Under  her  deft  fin- 
gers and  with  her  enthusiastic  good  taste  and  happy 
inspirations,  lean  old  maids  would  be  transformed  into 
blushing  "buds,"  and  faded  society  leaders  of  many 
seasons  would  reappear  as  enterprising  and  yet  digni- 
fied dames.  She  knew  instinctively  when  to  apply 

293 


294       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

velvet  and  where  to  mass  flimsy,  foamy  billows.  She 
knew  how  to  bend  the  brim  of  a  hat  so  as  to  bring  out 
the  good  feature  of  a  face;  she  would  select  just  the 
very  sprig  of  flowers  and  give  just  the  right  droop  of 
plume;  and  she  did  it  all  with  such  grace,  good-will 
and  a  winning  smile,  accentuating  her  actions  with 
words  spoken  in  so  exquisite  an  accent,  that  there  was 
no  resisting  her.  Margaret's  prediction  came  true ;  the 
second  month  brought  Helene  an  increase  in  her  sal- 
ary, and  she  became  the  happy  recipient  of  a  hundred 
dollars  a  month. 

Helene  (Madame  had  rebaptized  her  with  the  pro- 
fessional Heloise,  Helen  not  being,  in  her  opinion,  suf- 
ficiently "French"),  Madame  Lucile  determined,  was 
too  valuable  to  lose.  Rather  than  any  rival  concern 
on  the  avenue  should  entice  her  from  her  she  would 
double  the  girl's  salary.  But,  of  course,  this  was  only 
breathed  to  herself  in  the  secrecy  of  her  private  office. 

The  two  girls  became  closer  friends  than  ever  and 
grew  more  and  more  attached  to  each  other.  Mar- 
garet, in  particular,  seemed  to  have  found  in  the 
younger  and  more  cultured  Helene  an  object  for  the 
satisfaction  of  her  maternal  instincts.  No  effort  was 
too  great,  no  care  too  exacting,  if  only  her  little  friend 
was  made  the  happier  by  it.  She  timed  her  lunch  hour 
to  coincide  with  Helene's ;  she  accompanied  her  on  her 
shopping  expeditions;  she  would  take  her  away  from 
her  designing  and  bring  her  home  for  rest.  Rather 
than  Helene  should  go  home  alone,  she  would  wait  an 
hour  for  her.  At  the  Trust  Company  it  was  Marga- 
ret who  opened  the  bank  account  in  her  friend's 
name  and  deposited  every  Monday  the  little  surplus  of 
wealth.  She  selected  the  style  of  her  dresses  and  the 
material ;  she  fussed  over  them,  sewed  them,  fitted  and 
trimmed  them.  She  never  tired  of  admiring  the  little 
feet,  the  pretty  hands  and  the  wonderful  hair.  The 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       295 

dressing  of  this  hair  for  select  occasions  was  one  of 
Margaret's  chief  delights.  If  her  "darling"  had  a 
cold  or  a  slight  headache,  she  would  nurse  and  pet  her, 
and  be  the  happier  in  doing  it. 

And  Helene  would  accept  this  devotion  laughingly, 
knowing  that  it  was  given  in  love,  and  would  return 
that  love  with  sweet  and  gentle  affection.  She  was 
very  happy  both  in  her  work,  which  was  pleasant  and 
interesting,  and  in  their  rooms,  which  were  cozy  and 
"homey." 

At  the  boarding-house  Margaret  Fisher  was  a  gen- 
eral favorite.  Her  ready  good-humor,  her  quick  wit 
and  her  unaffected,  if  somewhat  slangy,  speech,  always 
found  a  ready  acceptance  and  a  responsive  laugh.  She 
was  ever  ready  with  her  help  and  sympathy,  willing 
to  listen  and  equal  to  a  gossip. 

Helene — the  beautiful,  reserved,  lily-like  maiden — 
was  worshipped  by  all.  From  the  scullery-maid  with 
the  Kerry  accent  to  Mrs.  Kane,  the  kindly  autocrat  of 
this  little  commonwealth,  all  bowed  to  her  in  delighted 
homage.  The  women  admired  her  without  a  taint 
of  jealousy;  the  two  men  who  lived  there  reverenced 
her  from  afar.  She  seemed  to  them  like  some  rare  lily 
that  had  been  transplanted  into  a  city  yard. 

One  of  the  men  was  a  librarian  at  one  of  the  city 
colleges — a  ripe,  old  scholar ;  the  other,  a  young  Balti- 
morean,  of  a  retiring  manner,  was  struggling  as  an 
obscure  civil  engineer.  They  considered  themselves 
fortunate  to  sit  at  the  table  and  would  gaze  in  awe  on 
the  charming  young  foreigner — perfectly  content  to 
behold  her  across  the  six  feet  of  tablecloth.  If  either 
ventured  on  a  nearer  acquaintance,  he  would  find  that 
Miss  Fisher  had  interposed  her  ample  form  between 
them. 

Helene  had  not  imparted  to  her  protectress  much 
more  of  her  early  life  than  had  transpired  at  their  meet- 


296       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

ing  in  Hanover  and  on  the  voyage  across  the  ocean. 
Margaret,  in  the  confidential  atmosphere  engendered 
by  the  close  companionship,  found  the  need  of  telling 
her  friend  all  about  herself.  It  was  a  simple  tale,  but 
the  pathos  of  it  drew  a  sympathetic  response  from  her 
listener. 

Margaret's  father,  an  educated  German  of  good 
family,  had  come  to  America  during  the  Civil  War. 
He  had  been  compelled  to  leave  the  Fatherland  because 
of  his  activity  in  politics  of  a  somewhat  republican 
tendency.  In  New  York  he  became  the  city  editor  of 
one  of  the  more  influential  of  the  German  newspapers. 
It  was  during  this  period  that  he  met  and  married  a 
German  girl  whose  elder  brother  kept  a  small  jewelry 
and  watch-repairing  shop  on  the  East  Side.  He  was 
a  kind-hearted  old  bachelor  and  had  been  Margaret's 
earliest  admirer  and  playmate. 

It  was  to  this  uncle's  home  above  the  store  that  she 
and  her  mother  went  when  her  father  died.  A  year 
after  her  father's  death,  when  she  was  fifteen,  Mar- 
garet went  to  work  at  a  dressmarker's  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. They  managed  to  get  along  very  comfortably 
together.  Her  uncle  was  kindness  itself  and  a  genius 
at  his  trade.  There  was  no  style  of  watch  or  clock 
he  could  not  fix  up  and  make  keep  correct  time.  He 
was  an  expert  at  chronometer  work  and  was  regularly 
consulted  by  captains  of  ships  and  even  by  the  Navy 
Yard. 

Six  years  ago,  Margaret's  mother  died,  leaving  her 
alone  with  her  uncle.  The  old  man  had  aged  and 
grown  quite  feeble  then.  He  longed  to  go  back  to 
Germany.  So  strong  was  this  homesickness  for  his 
beloved  Harz  Mountains  that  the  doctor  thought  it  best 
to  urge  him. to  go.  He  went,  promising  to  come  back 
soon,  but  he  never  returned.  He  died  among  the  pine- 
clad  hills  of  his  birthplace.  The  little  property  he  left 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       297 

fell  to  Margaret  and  became  the  foundation  for  the 
now  greatly  discussed  bank  account. 

About  three  years  after  her  mother's  death  she  met 
a  young  man — a  decent,  quiet  fellow,  an  assistant  in  a 
drug-store.  She  liked  him.  He  dressed  well  and  was 
very  attentive  and  kind  to  her.  A  year  later  she  con- 
sented to  become  engaged  to  him.  They  were  to  be 
married  as  soon  as  his  employer  had  fulfilled  his  prom- 
ise to  raise  his  salary  and  give  him  a  percentage  of 
the  business. 

She  was  sure  she  did  not  love  him ;  but  she  was  in 
no  doubt  that  he  needed  some  good,  capable  girl  to 
look  after  him.  He  was  rather  weak  and  vacillating; 
but  he  was  good-looking  and  any  girl  would  be  rather 
proud  to  go  out  with  him.  Margaret  put  it  that  way, 
because  it  really  expressed  her  mind.  She  didn't  see 
what  else  men  were  good  for  any  way,  except  to  be 
mothered  and  to  walk  out  with.  It  was  nice  for  them 
to  take  you  out,  and  it  felt  good  to  have  a  man  lean  on 
you  and  come  to  you  for  advice  and  the  help  that  a 
woman  could  give  him. 

Well,  things  went  on  very  happily 'for  some  months 
and  then  she  noticed  that  he  came  less  frequently  to 
the  house.  He  would  send  notes  instead,  excusing 
himself  for  one  reason  or  another.  One  evening,  when 
she  had  stayed  later  than  usual  at  the  store  to  finish 
some  dresses  for  the  Easter  season,  she  went  into 
Krugler's  restaurant,  at  the  corner  of  Second  Avenue, 
for  her  supper,  and  sat  down  near  a  slight  partition  or 
screen  of  plants.  She  had  scarcely  begun  her  meal 
when  she  heard  a  familiar  voice  from  the  other  side 
of  the  screen.  Peering  through  the  leaves  of  the  palm 
she  saw  her  Bert  seated  at  a  table  with  a  young  woman. 
He  had  his  back  to  her,  but  she  could  hear  quite  dis- 
tinctly what  he  was  saying.  He  was  talking  in  the 
most  endearing  words,  exactly  as  he  had  talked 
20 


298       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

to  her.  Then  she  heard  the  girl  remind  him  of  the 
young  lady — the  serious  girl  with  the  money  in  bank — 
she  had  seen  him  with.  Wasn't  he  engaged  to  be 
married  to  her?  He  passionately  protested.  It  was 
not  true,  he  said.  He  only  loved  her — the  girl  he  was 
with  now.  The  other  couldn't  compare  with  her.  The 
other  was  all  right,  but  she  had  no  heart — she  was 
always  preaching  and  talking  about  getting  on.  Mar- 
garet waited  to  hear  no  more.  She  had  heard  too 
much  as  it  was.  The  next  day  she  returned  him  the 
little  gifts  he  had  made  her,  including  the  engagement 
ring,  and  when  he  called  she  declined  to  see  him.  Since 
then  she  did  not  care  to  know  any  man.  Of  course, 
Bert  was  no  loss.  She  knew  that  now,  but  she  had 
liked  him  once.  Oh,  yes,  men  were  all  right  in  their 
way;  but  a  girl  was  far  better  off  not  to  bother  her- 
self about  them.  She'd  get  along  just  as  well. 

Helene  kept  a  discreet  silence  as  to  her  own  opinions 
on  that  subject.  She  was  afraid  to  trust  herself  with 
Margaret,  least  she  might  betray  her  own  heart,  and 
Margaret  never  again  broached  the  subject. 

In  their  promenades  together  in  the  city  what  struck 
Helene  most  was  the  people.  Apparently  all  belonged 
to  the  same  class.  All  were  so  happy,  so  satisfied  and 
so  well  dressed.  Each  seemed  to  be  going  about  his 
own  business  without  interference  from  others  and  yet 
everybody  was  so  orderly.  It  was  all  so  different  from 
what  she  had  been  accustomed  to  in  her  own  country. 
No  poverty,  no  soldiers,  no  armed  policemen,  no 
officious  park  keepers,  no  bowing  and  scraping  be- 
fore empty  authority.  Everybody  was  free  to  do  as 
he  liked  and  yet  everybody  seemed  pleased  to  be 
decent  and  well-behaved.  Even  the  children  were  un- 
afraid. 

In  the  park  where  she  and  Margaret  found  such  en- 
joyment in  walking  or  sitting,  the  children  would 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       299 

come  up  and  look  their  frank  admiration  at  Helene, 
their  eyes  bright  and  their  faces  wreathed  in  smiles. 
To  Margaret  the  little  ones  crept  instinctively.  She 
had  such  an  inviting,  motherly  look  about  her  that 
they  knew  no  introduction  was  necessary  for  them  to 
be  taken  into  her  embracing  arms.  It  did  Helene's 
heart  good  to  watch  Margaret's  keen  delight  on  these 
occasions. 

Helene  could  have  had  no  wiser  guide  than  this 
friend  proved  to  be.  Margaret  Fisher  was  a  genuine 
native  of  New  York,  bred  in  its  peculiar  ways  of  life, 
which  were  at  once  the  outcome  of  sharp  competition 
and  bonhomie.  She  seemed  to  have  the  wisdom  of 
the  serpent  and  the  innocence  of  the  dove.  Her  inex- 
haustible supply  of  wit,  her  humorous  way  of  seeing 
things,  her  happy,  healthy  nature,  gave  everybody  who 
came  under  her  influence  a  sense  of  the  reasonable- 
ness and  fitness  of  things.  "You  can't  help  being  in  a 
good  humor  when  Miss  Fisher  is  around,"  Mrs.  Kane 
truly  said. 

In  the  daily  companionship  of  such  a  teacher  Helene 
ripened  in  experience.  Without  acquiring  the  slang 
spoken  everywhere  about  her,  she  obtained  a  command 
of  English  which  was  at  once  smooth  and  polished, 
though  she  never  lost  her  quaintly  pretty  accent.  Her 
own  instinct  guided  her  and  her  refinement  of  nature 
compelled  from  others  a  response  which  avoided  the 
vulgar.  People  felt  they  must  be  different  with 
Helene,  so  that  they  chose  their  words  in  speaking 
to  her.  They  felt  they  must  be  on  their  best  behavior 
with  her. 

Spring  grew  into  summer,  the  more  than  benevolent 
summer  of  New  York.  The  girls  in  Madame  Lucile's 
employ  blossomed  in  colors  and  gowns  befitting  the 
season ;  but  Helene  made  no  change  in  her  own  dress. 
She  retained  her  sombre  black  despite  Margaret's 


goo       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

pleadings  and  Madame's  hints.  And  with  it  all  she 
bloomed  like  a  rare  flower  amid  the  commoner  plants. 
Margaret  would  put  on  an  air  of  chagrin  and  talk 
of  the  anxiety  Helene  was  to  her;  but  none  the  less 
she  was  exceedingly  proud  of  her  protegee.  To  her 
friends  she  would  in  mock  despair  say :  "What  chance 
has  any  girl  with  Helene,  I  should  like  to  know  ?" 

On  their  occasional  visits  to  Art  Exhibitions  or 
the  Museum,  the  old  librarian  was  proud  to  act  as 
cicerone.  He  had  become  the  envy  of  the  rest  in  the 
boarding-house,  and  especially  of  the  young  engineer, 
because  of  this  privilege  extended  to  him.  He  had 
even  acted  as  their  host  on  two  occasions  when  they 
had  accepted  his  invitation  to  partake  of  a  table  d'hote 
dinner  at  a  French  restaurant. 

The  Baltimorean  listened  to  the  recital  of  the  enjoy- 
ment and  waited  patiently  for  his  turn.  He  proved  a 
good  waiter.  On  the  eve  of  the  Fourth  of  July,  he 
ventured  to  ask  the  two  girls  to  go  with  him  to  the 
beach.  Robert  McCreedy  could  hardly  believe  his 
ears  when  his  invitation  was  accepted.  He  made  a 
careful  estimate  and  concluded  that  a  week's  income 
would  about  meet  the  occasion,  and  prayed  that  the 
day  would  be  fine. 

The  day  broke  cloudless  with  a  pitiless  sun  blazing 
down.  McCreedy  was  happy.  He  did  not  know  that 
the  effect  of  the  sweltering  heat  of  the  past  few  days 
on  Helene  had  more  to  do  with  Margaret's  acceptance 
of  the  invitation  than  anything  else.  He  thought  that 
his  patience  had  at  last  been  rewarded;  that  the  im- 
placable duenna  had  thought  it  well  to  permit  him  a 
nearer  access  to  the  object  of  his  devotions. 

To  Helene,  tired  and  overcome  by  the  oppressive 
heat,  the  day  proved  a  boon  and  was  also  an  experience 
of  a  novel  kind.  The  ride  to  the  Battery;  the  ferry 
trip  to  South  Brooklyn ;  the  open,  swaying  cars  of  the 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       301 

steam  railway  to  the  beach;  the  beauty  of  the  Long 
Island  landscape ;  the  cool  breezes  of  the  rolling  ocean 
— all  were  new  to  her  and  afforded  such  interest  and 
refreshment  that  she  forgot  her  weariness  of  brain 
and  body  and  gave  herself  up  to  the  enjoyment  with 
the  abandon  of  a  girl.  Everywhere  were  men,  women 
and  children  on  pleasure  bent.  Everybody  seemed 
happy.  She  had  already  learned  many  a  lesson  from 
this  wonderful  democracy,  but  none  appealed  to  her 
so  strongly  as  did  this  celebration.  A  great  humanity 
had  assembled,  as  if  at  the  call  of  some  mysterious 
voice,  and  here  they  were  laughing,  playing,  singing, 
carefree  and  happy,  without  a  sign  or  a  sound  of  dis- 
cord— all  members  of  a  national  family,  as  it  were. 
This,  indeed,  was  a  new  world — new  in  a  sense  that 
her  people  in  Roumelia  could  never  understand.  It 
was  a  revelation  of  the  human  heart,  an  insight  into 
the  meaning  of  life  which  was  denied  to  those  who 
have  not  known  true  liberty  and  have  not  been  per- 
mitted the  free  play  of  their  finer  natures. 

The  day  came  to  a  close  but  too  quickly  for  Robert 
McCreedy.  He  had  spent  his  wealth  gladly  and  had 
known  a  happiness  he  had  never  known  before.  When 
Margaret,  after  consulting  her  watch,  announced  it 
was  time  to  go  home,  he  looked  his  disappointment  so 
openly  that  Margaret  was  compelled  to  laugh. 

"I'm  sorry,  Mr.  McCreedy,"  she  said,  "but  we  must 
really  get  back." 

McCreedy  knew,  from  her  tone  of  voice,  that  there 
was  no  appeal.  He  must  content  himself  with  the 
favor  that  had  been  granted  him.  In  the  seclusion  of 
his  room,  later,  he  relived  his  happy  day.  He  would 
see  her  again  to-morrow.  Sufficient  for  the  day  was 
this  joy  thereof.  After  all,  the  ice  had  been  broken 
and  some  day  he  might  get  the  opportunity  to  take 
her  out  alone — without  that  dragon  of  her  friend. 


302       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Poor  fellow!  What  dreams  he  permitted  himself!  In 
the  hour  or  two  before  retiring  he  had  become  so  rich 
that  he  was  sailing  in  his  own  yacht  with  Helene, 
happy  and  radiant,  by  his  side  on  the  deck.  And  when 
he  slept  he  dreamed  of  a  magnificent  home  with  splen- 
did salons  through  which  Helene  "walked  in  beauty 
like  the  night,"  and  he  by  her  side. 

Margaret  had  long  suspected  McCreedy's  state  of 
heart,  and  had  taken  care  to  keep  him  from  Helene  as 
much  as  possible  during  the  day.  As  she  sat  now, 
with  Helene,  in  their  sitting-room,  she  looked  at  the 
girl  for  a  sign  of  resentment  at  her  manoeuvres.  But 
she  saw  nothing  but  the  evidences  of  the  happy  time 
she  had  had. 

"What  do  you  think  of  Mr.  McCreedy?"  she 
asked  suddenly. 

"He's  very  nice.  He  was  so  kind  and  attentive, 
wasn't  he  ?  I  hope  he  didn't  spend  more  than  he  could 
afford."  Margaret  smiled.  Her  lessons  in  economy 
had  borne  fruit  in  Helene's  mind. 

"Oh,  I  guess  he  wouldn't  do  that." 

"No,  perhaps  not." 

Helene  spoke  tha  last  words  listlessly.  The  refer- 
ence to  money  sent  her  mind  reflecting  on  her  own 
life.  She  was  so  anxious  to  save  as  much  money  as 
she  could  spare.  If  Mr.  Morton  should  come,  she 
would  then  be  in  a  position  to  pay  him  back  all  that 
he  had  spent  on  her.  And  autumn  would  soon  be 
here,  when  she  must  fulfill  her  promise  to  write  to 
him.  What  would  he  say  when  he  saw  her  again? 
Ah — but  would  he  come?  Cleveland — eight  hundred 
miles  away — did  people  ever  travel  that  long  distance 
to  come  to  New  York?  And  if  he  came,  he  surely 
would  approve! 

"Why,  honey,  you're  not  listening  to  me.  I  de- 
clare you've  been  in  a  trance  for  the  last  five  min- 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       303 

utes."  Margaret  assumed  an  offended  air.  Helene 
started  and  blushed. 

"Now  come,  what  were  you  thinking  of?  I  have 
an  idea  there's  a  Count  or  a  Prince  buzzing  in  your 
little  head." 

"Indeed,  there  is  neither  Count  nor  Prince.  I  was 
thinking  of  my  old  home.  I  daren't  think  of  men 
with  a  man-hater  like  you  near  me." 

"Well,  I  won't  press  you,  my  dear.  But  I'm  not  a 
man-hater,"  and  Margaret's  voice  softened.  "I  some- 
times think  it  would  do  me  good  to  have  a  man  to  fuss 
about  and  look  after.  Men  are  such  helpless  things. 
They  wobble  from  one  pretty  girl  to  another,  and  I 
believe  they  can't  help  it.  What  they  want  is  some 
woman  to  mother  them.  I  really  think  I  would  want 
to  mother  a  man  just  as  I  want  to  take  care  of  babies, 
and  as  I  love  to  take  care  of  you,  dearie!" 

Helene  looked  at  her  friend.  Poor,  lonely  Mar- 
garet, she  thought,  God  had  made  her  to  be  a  mother. 
The  revelation  into  her  friend's  soul  was  too  sacred 
to  speak  about.  With  instinctive  courtesy  she  changed 
her  tone  covering  what  she  had  seen  with  a  veil  of 
light  words: 

"I'm  sure,  Margy  dear,  there  are  men  who  are  not 
what  you  call  'wobblers.'  I  haven't  known  many,  but 
I'm  convinced  there  are  loyal  and  true  men.  My 
father  was  one." 

"I  have  no  answer  to  that,  Helen.  I  believe  it.  But 
as  there  are  not  many  girls  like  you,  there  cannot  be 
many  men  like  your  father  was.  Well,  dear,  it's  get- 
ting late  and  we  ought  to  be  in  bed.  To-morrow  will 
be  another  'scorcher,'  and  we  have  the  new  models  to 
go  over.  And  this  weather  doesn't  improve  the  dis- 
positions of  the  women  who  want  to  wear  corsets 
two  sizes  too  small  for  them — like  Madame  Lucile 
does." 


304^      UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Helene  laughed.  "Now  you  are  not  just  to  her. 
I  don't  think  she  does  that." 

"Don't  you,  sweetheart  ?  Well,  never  mind,  I  know 
better.  A  woman  would  be  anything  rather  than  fat. 
Why,  even  I  am  sometimes  afraid  to  eat." 

"Oh,  Margy,  how  can  youl  You  are  not  a  bit 
stout,  only  big  and  strong.  Everybody  admires  you, 
and  Madame  is  always  praising  your  fine  figure." 

"You're  an  angel,  my  dear,  and  wouldn't  hurt  the 
feelings  of  a  tax-collector.  Give  me  a  kiss,  my  dear, 
and  good  night." 

"Good  night,  Margy,  and  thank  you  for  the  happy 
day." 

It  was  in  such  intimate  talks  that  Margaret,  the 
strong,  protecting  tree  to  the  slender  vine,  Helene, 
proved  her  friendship.  In  breeding  and  education  the 
two  girls  were  poles  apart,  but  the  native  virtues  and 
sterling  character  in  each  drew  them  together  in  an 
abiding  love.  A  daughter  of  the  people  and  a  child 
of  an  ancient  nobility  thus  met  on  the  ground  of  their 
common  humanity.  With  the  passing  of  the  days, 
Helene  found  new  interest  in  her  work  and  became 
more  accustomed  to  the  new  life.  Margaret,  seeing 
Helene's  happiness,  was  happy  herself.  Sunshine 
without  and  contentment  within,  with  not  a  cloud  on 
the  horizon  of  their  lives! 

Petty  incidents  like  these  may  seem  unworthy  of 
record;  butf  life  is  made  up  of  such  small  happenings. 
Most  of  us  come  into  this  world  and  flit  more  or  less 
swiftly  and  pleasantly  through  the  playground  of  our 
childhood  and  youth  as  though  it  were  but  the  ante- 
chamber to  some  richly  furnished  parlor.  When  we 
enter  the  longed-for  parlor,  we  find  in  it  labor  and 
sorrow  in  plenty.  We  eat,  sleep,  dream,  enjoy  our- 
selves a  little  and  then  one  day  we  awaken  to  the 
sad  reality  that  we  are  no  longer  young.  Some  kind 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       305 

friend  will  remark:  "Why,  your  hair  is  growing 
gray!"  Another  will  sympathize  and  say:  "Ah,  we 
are  not  as  young  as  we  used  to  be."  He  uses  the  polite 
plural,  but  we  know  he  has  a  very  definite  singular  in 
mind.  And  then  comes  the  day  when  the  roomy  arm- 
chair is  inviting,  and  the  favorite  ballad  which  once 
whispered  gladness,  now  only  recalls  times  long,  long 
past.  Then  it  is  that  the  chatter  of  youth  is  a  forgot- 
ten language;  that  the  faces  of  women  show  only 
the  rouge  on  cheek  and  lip  and  not  the  glorious  eye; 
when  an  invitation  to  the  dance  compels  us  to  the  con- 
fession, "I  am  too  old  to  dance,"  and  to  the  thought, 
"did  she  really  want  me  for  a  partner?"  when  our 
conversation  slips  into  the  question,  "do  you  remem- 
ber ?"  when  the  past  is  our  present  and  the  future  a 
dread.  Ah,  if  youth  knew  the  fulfillment  of  the  prom- 
ises of  life,  would  he  or  she  be  gay  ?  It  is  in  our  mem- 
ory that  we  live,  and  memory  is  but  the  storehouse  of 
little  incidents.  They  are  the  little  colored  stones, 
which  form  the  mosaic  background  of  life.  The  fig- 
ures may  vary,  the  genre  may  change,  but  the  back- 
ground is  always  the  same. 


THE  halcyon  days  of  that  summer  were  filled 
with  work  and  innocent  enjoyment  for  Helene 
and  Margaret.     The  girls  were  so  happy  that 
the  gods  themselves  must  have  become  envious,  for 
they  sent  one  of  their  number  to  destroy  their  happi- 
ness. 

On  days  when  the  heat  was  oppressive,  the  girls 
left  their  work  at  an  earlier  hour  than  usual  and 
would  then  walk  along  Fifth  Avenue.  At  that  hour 
the  streams  of  people  from  shops  and  business  places 
mingled  with  the  current  of  those  on  pleasure  bent. 
In  crossing  the  thoroughfare,  Helene  and  Margaret 
got  stalled.  Helene,  undecided  whether  to  advance 
or  return,  became  confused  and  before  she  realized 
it  a  pair  of  spirited  horses  in  an  open  landau  was 
almost  on  top  of  her.  Margaret  seeing  the  danger, 
rushed  up  and  pushed  her  into  safety.  In  doing  so, 
however,  she  herself  was  caught  by  the  pole  of  the 
carriage,  and  thrown  down  and  trampled  on  by  one  of 
the  horses. 

A  crowd  gathered  immediately  and  Margaret,  now 
unconscious,  was  carried  to  the  sidewalk.  Helene, 
deathly  pale  and  speechless  with  horror,  held  the 
bleeding  head  of  her  beloved  comrade  in  her  lap.  A 
policeman  who  had  promptly  arrived  on  the  scene 
rushed  to  ring  for  an  ambulance,  when  a  richly 
dressed  lady  of  commanding  appearance  offered  to 
drive  the  young  woman  to  the  nearest  hospital.  She 
was  the  occupant  of  the  carriage  which  had  been  the 
cause  of  the  accident.  Willing  bystanders,  assisted 

306 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       307 

by  the  officer  of  the  law,  lifted  the  lifeless  form  into 
the  landau  into  which  Helena  was  invited  by  the 
owner. 

At  the  hospital  Helene  was  not  allowed  to  go  into 
the  ward,  but  was  requested  to  wait  the  doctor's  report 
in  the  waiting-room.  Almost  beside  herself  with 
anxiety,  she  sat  in  a  stupor  and  could  scarcely  answer 
the  usual  questions  put  to  her  by  the  doctor  in  charge. 

The  lady  in  whose  carriage  she  had  come,  sat 
mutely  near  the  window  nervously  tapping  the  sill, 
staring  absently  into  the  court  without.  Some  ques- 
tions were  put  to  her  also,  but  she,  too,  was  too  over- 
come to  answer  coherently. 

In  a  few  minutes,  a  terribly  long  time  to  Helene, 
the  nurse  returned  and  whispered  that  her  friend  was 
resting  in  bed  and  that  a  cursory  examination  had 
revealed  no  serious  injuries.  The  head  physician 
would  be  in  shortly  and  would  make  a  more  thorough 
examination.  She  could  wait  until  then,  Helene  was 
told.  The  other  lady  was  given  the  same  information. 

The  strain  of  her  pent-up  feelings  relieved  by  the 
nurse's  report,  Helene  broke  into  sobs.  She  thanked 
God  in  her  heart  that  her  dear  Margaret  would  not 
die  as  she  had  feared. 

"Pardon  me,  miss,"  came  a  sympathetic  voice,  "can 
I  be  of  any  help  to  you?" 

Helene  looked  up  and  recognized  the  dignified  lady 
in  whose  carriage  she  had  been  driven  to  the  hospital. 

"I  am  glad  to  learn  that  your  friend  is  not  seriously 
hurt.  I  am  Mrs.  Van  Dusen.  It  was  my  carriage  that 
was  the  cause  of  the  unfortunate  accident  to  your 
friend.  Won't  you  let  me  help  you?" 

"Thank  you,  Mrs.  Van  Dusen,  but  I  am  scarcely 
able  to  think.  If  my  friend,  Miss  Fisher,  is  not  very 
badly  injured  I  should  like  to  take  her  home.  It  was 
my  fault  ..." 


308       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Helene  broke  down,  the  tears  choking  her  voice. 

The  unusual  beauty,  the  sweet,  refined  voice  and 
manner  of  the  young  woman  impressed  the  lady. 
She  sat  'down  near  Helene  and  said  in  kindly 
tones : 

"You  must  not  distress  yourself,  my  dear.  Your 
friend  will  be  well  taken  care  of  here.  I  will  see  to 
that.  I  am  deeply  grieved  the  accident  occurred.  I 
saw  you  and  your  friend  step  right  in  front  of  the 
horses  and  called  out  to  the  coachman ;  but  it  was  too 
late.  I  want  to  do  all  I  can  to  help  Miss  Fisher.  Has 
she  any  relatives  or  friends  who  ought  to  be  notified  ? 
My  son  is  outside  and  he  will  gladly  take  any  mes- 
sage." 

"She  has  no  friend  other  than  myself.  For  her 
sake  I  shall  be  glad  to  accept  any  assistance  you  can 
give  me.  It  was  in  saving  me  that  she  got  hurt  her- 
self. Oh,  my  poor  lovely  Margaret  .  .  ." 

"There,  there,  my  dear,  it  is  not  so  bad  after  all. 
Compose  yourself.  Here  comes  the  nurse." 

The  nurse  informed  Helene  that  Miss  Fisher  was 
conscious  and  the  doctor  would  allow  her  to  see  her 
friend  for  a  minute — but  she  must;  not  be  excited. 

Helene  rose  eagerly  and  walked  rapidly  into  the 
ward.  Behind  a  screen,  on  a  narrow  cot,  Margaret 
lay  white  and  helpless.  Her  head  was  heavily  band- 
aged so  that  only  her  eyes  showed.  On  seeing 
Helene,  she  smiled  wistfully  into  the  face  that  was 
bending  over  her. 

"Hello,  darling!  I'm  all  right — only  a  little 
bruised.  I'll  be  out  in  no  time.  Wasn't  it  lucky? 
But  who's  going  to  look  after  you  while  I'm  here, 
little  one?" 

The  nurse  approached  and  whispered  to  Helene: 
"Just  say  a  few  kind  words  for  the  present.  You  can 
come  another  time." 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       309 

"Oh,  Margaret,  I'm  so  happy  to  see  you.  Don't 
worry  about  me,  dearest.  I'll  come  and  look  you  up 
as  often  as  I  can." 

Margaret  looked  back  her  content;  she  was  too  ill 
to  speak. 

The  nurse  touched  Helene  on  the  arm.  It  was  time 
to  leave.  Kissing  the  pale  lips,  she  retired  slowly, 
looking  back  at  the  wan  face  until  the  door  had  been 
closed  on  her. 

In  the  waiting-room  she  found  a  tall  young  man 
by  the  side  of  Mrs.  Van  Dusen. 

"This  is  my  son,"  said  the  lady  to  Helene,  "he  will 
take  any  message,  Miss — eh " 

"My  name  is  Miss  Barton.  Thank  you,  there  is 
no  message  I  wish  sent.  I  shall  wait  here  for  the 
physician's  report.  I  will  tell  Madame  Lucile,  my- 
self, later." 

The  tall,  carefully  groomed  and  good-looking 
young  man  approached,  hat  in  hand : 

"Permit  me,  Miss  Barton,  to  go  to  her  for  you.  I 
have  a  carriage  waiting." 

"Thank  you;  but  it  will  be  better  if  I  see  the 
lady.  Madame  Lucile  is  our  employer." 

"Here  is  my  card,  Miss  Barton,"  said  Mrs.  Van 
Dusen.  "Let  me  know  if  I  can  be  of  any  service.  I 
shall  inquire  regularly  at  this  hospital  and  my  son  will 
see  the  superintendent  and  arrange  that  special  atten- 
tion be  given  Miss  Fisher.  I  am  deeply  grieved  at 
the  accident  and  hope  sincerely  that  Miss  Fisher  will 
not  suffer.  Good-bye,  Miss  Barton.  Are  you  coming, 
Howard?" 

The  young  man  came  up  to  Helene  and  said  in  a 
kind  voice : 

"Pardon  me  for  suggesting  it,  Miss  Barton,  but 
you  ought  to  consult  a  lawyer  on  this  matter." 

"Howard,    what    do    you    mean?"    exclaimed    his 


3io       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

mother  angrily.  "What  should  Miss  Barton  consult 
a  lawyer  about?" 

"Well,  mother,  Miss  Barton's  friend  may  suffer  in 
other  ways  than  from  the  injuries  she  has  received." 

"Well,  of  course,  I  am  not  going  to  shirk  any  re- 
sponsibility. The  young  lady  has  my  card.  Come." 

"Don't  forget,  Miss  Barton,  to  let  my  mother  know. 
May  I  have  your  address?" 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Van  Dusen,  there  is  no  necessity 
for  that.  Good  afternoon,  madam." 

Mother  and  son  had  no  sooner  left  than  the  nurse 
came  in  bringing  the  physician  in  charge.  Dr.  Loomis 
relieved  the  girl's  mind  by  telling  her  that  her  Miss 
Fisher  was  in  no  danger.  She  would  remain  for  the 
present  in  the  ward  until  she  had  recovered  sufficiently 
from  the  shock.  No  bones  had  been  broken,  but  the 
bruise  on  the  head  was  rather  severe.  Every  care 
would  be  given  her  friend.  "Don't  be  anxious,  my 
dear  young  lady,"  he  said,  "we  shall  get  her  quite  well 
again.  Good-bye !" 

The  nurse  informed  Helene  that  she  could  visit  her 
friend  every  day  and  that  Mrs.  Van  Dusen,  who  was 
a  patroness  of  the  hospital,  had  left  word  that  the 
patient  should  be  most  carefully  attended  to.  Helene 
thanked  the  woman. 

From  the  hospital  she  hurried  to  Madame  Lucile's 
home  and  was  greatly  relieved  that  the  lady  took  the 
news  as  she  did.  Madame  promised  to  look  after 
everything.  Helene,  for  the  first  time  since  she  had 
been  in  America,  went  home  alone. 

And  now  began  the  trying  and  anxious  time. 
Every  day  Helene  called  at  the  hospital,  but  was  not 
permitted  access  to  the  sick-room.  Margaret  had  an 
attack  of  brain  fever  and  could  recognize  no  one.  She 
would  leave  for  Madame  Lucile's  in  tears.  There  she 
worked  for  two  to  drown  her  anxiety.  But  the  lonely 


UNDER    THE     BIG    DIPPER       311 

evenings  and  tearful  nights  followed  and  they  had  to 
be  borne  by  herself  alone. 

Mrs.  Van  Dusen  had  called  on  Madame  Lucile  and 
had  offered  to  defray  the  expenses;  but  Helene  firmly 
refused  to  accept  the  offer.  Margaret  and  she  could 
afford  to  pay  them  themselves. 

Whenever  Helene  visited  the  hospital,  she  would 
find  Mr.  Van  Dusen  waiting,  ready  with  a  courteous 
request  to  be  of  service,  and  repeated  the  offer  his 
mother  had  made  to  Madame  Lucile.  But  Helene 
declined  both.  On  one  occasion  he  asked  permission 
to  call  on  Miss  Barton.  This  she  also  declined.  When 
Margaret  recovered  from  the  fever,  he  sent  her 
flowers  almost  daily.  Twice  Helene  received  a  large 
box  of  beautiful  lilies  at  the  boarding-house  with  his 
card.  She  wrote  him  a  polite  note  of  thanks  in  which 
she  told  him  that  she  would  take  the  flowers  to 
Margaret. 

At  the  end  of  three  weeks,  Margaret  was  declared 
to  be  out  of  all  danger.  Her  wounds  had  healed  and 
the  bandages  had  been  removed.  On  the  left  temple 
showed  a  livid  scar,  but  the  nurse  assured  Helene 
that  this  would  disappear  in  time.  In  a  week  Mar- 
garet would  be  allowed  to  go  home;  but  the  doctor 
advised  a  rest  at  the  seashore  or  in  the  mountains  be- 
fore returning  to  work. 

Mrs.  Van  Dusen  claimed  the  right  to  provide  for 
this  rest,  at  least,  and  begged  Margaret  to  accept  the 
hospitality  of  her  country  place  in  the  Kittatinnies, 
which  was  only  an  hour's  ride  from  New  York,  and 
where  the  mountain  air  was  cool  and  invigorating. 
"I  have  been  so  unhappy,  Miss  Fisher,"  she  said, 
"about  the  accident,  and  you've  let  me  do  nothing." 

Margaret  compromised  by  agreeing  to  stay  at  a 
farm-house  near  Mrs.  Van  Dusen's  place  and  to  use 
that  good  lady's  carriage.  But  she  insisted  on  pay- 


3i2       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

ing  for  her  board.  Mrs.  Van  Dusen  was  only  too 
glad  that  she  had  been  able  to  prevail  over  Margaret's 
independent  spirit  to  that  extent.  Her  visits  to  the 
hospital  had  made  her  acquainted  with  the  girl's  fine 
nature,  both  in  the  courage  she  had  evinced  in  pain, 
and  in  the  devotion  she  showed  to  Helene.  Mrs.  Van 
Dusen  could  not  help  but  look  up  to  so  grand  and  yet 
so  finely  democratic  a  character. 

In  the  younger  girl,  with  the  gentle,  well-bred 
bearing  which,  as  she  readily  saw,  but  veiled  the  reti- 
cence of  inborn  dignity,  she  had  found  a  rare  person- 
ality. A  girl  entirely  aloof  from  her  surroundings 
and  who  was  yet  self-supporting  and  happy  in  the 
small  circle  of  her  life.  Mrs.  Van  Dusen,  the  society 
leader  and  proud  wife  of  one  of  the  wealthy  men  of 
New  York,  could  not  fail  to  see  that  this  simple,  digni- 
fied girl  was  her  equal  in  everything  but  worldly  gifts. 
She  tried  hard  to  pierce  the  armor  of  modesty  and 
unselfishness  in  which  the  girl  clothed  herself;  but  its 
very  inoffensiveness  proved  it  to  be  a  stronger  pro- 
tection than  anything  else  could  have  been. 

Her  son,  Howard,  had  confessed  to  her  that  the 
younger  of  the  two  girls  had  made  a  deep  impression 
on  him,  but,  he  ruefully  added,  "I've  not  made  much 
headway  with  her." 

To  Helene,  the  American  custom  which  permitted  a 
young  man  and  girl  to  meet  and  converse  freely  and 
alone,  was  one  which  she  either  did  not  understand  or 
did  not  approve.  Van  Dusen's  escort  to  the  boarding- 
house  was  rather  suffered  than  accepted.  Upon  arriv- 
ing at  the  home,  she  would  bid  him  good-bye,  and 
take  no  notice  of  his  hints  for  an  invitation  to  call. 
His  floral  gifts  she  invariably  transferred  to  Margaret. 
He  had  to  admit  frankly  that  he  had  not  made  a  very 
favorable  impression.  His  mother  wisely  said 
nothing. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       313 

At  the  Post's  farm-house  Margaret  found  herself 
comfortably  established  on  the  second  floor.  She 
wrote  every  day  to  Helene  glowing  accounts  of  the 
beautiful  country  and  urged  her  to  come  and  visit 
her  for  a  few  days.  The  people  were  nice  and  kind 
and  there  was  a  quaint  room  which  she  could  have 
all  to  herself.  She  was  getting  quite  strong  again  and 
had  acquired  a  tremendous  appetite.  She  pleaded  so 
earnestly  that  Helene  finally  agreed  to  go  if  Madame 
Lucile  gave  the  permission. 

Certainly  the  prospect  of  a  vacation  did  look  al- 
luring. She  had  been  working  hard  during  Mar- 
garet's illness  and  had  been  very  lonely  and  depressed 
in  spirits.  She  had  even  denied  herself  the  few  hours 
of  relaxation  she  had  enjoyed  when  Margaret  was  at 
home,  and  had  kept  herself  confined  during  the  hottest 
days — a  trying  ordeal  to  anyone  living  in  New  York, 
and  especially  so  to  a  foreigner. 

The  canny  lady  from  Glasgow  was  too  pleased  to 
extend  a  vacation  to  Mademoiselle  Heloise,  and  thus  it 
happened  that  by  the  Saturday  before  Labor  Day 
Helene  had  made  all  her  preparations  and  was  ready 
for  the  great  event. 

As  she  was  utterly  ignorant  of  ways  and  means, 
Mr.  Diderot,  the  fatherly  librarian,  was  duly  im- 
pressed to  act  as  escort  to  the  dreaded  Terminal  and 
Ferry.  Mrs.  Kane,  with  many  motherly  admonitions, 
kissed  her  good-bye  and  put  her  in  charge  of  her  elderly 
lodger.  The  old  gentleman,  proud  of  his  duty,  had 
spruced  himself  up  and  assuming  a  youthful  gait, 
walked  vigorously  by  her  side  carrying  the  suit-case. 
His  hailing  of  the  street  car  was  done  with  a  dignity 
which  can  be  compared  only  to  the  bearing  of  the 
Mayor  escorting  the  President  of  the  United  States 
to  the  City  Hall. 

In  the  waiting-room  at  the  Ferry,  Helene  was  glad 
21 


3H       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

to  sit  in  the  cool  protection  from  the  heat  while  Mr. 
Diderot  negotiated  the  various  transactions  necessary 
to  obtaining  the  ticket  and  checking  the  baggage  for 
the  particular  place  in  the  New  Jersey  vastness  to 
which  his  charge  was  bound.  The  crowd  of  people 
hurrying  here,  there  and  everywhere,  so  bewildered 
the  poor  girl  that  she  hardly  dared  to  lift  her  eyes. 
She  almost  regretted  her  step  in  taking  such  a  long 
journey  alone  into  an  unknown  country. 

At  last  her  escort  returned.  She  rose  eagerly  and  he 
led  her  into  the  pushing  crowd  where  she  was  gently 
propelled  through  a  narrow  strait  flanked  by  two 
sharp-eyed  men  armed  with  shining  punchers,  into  a 
spacious  room  filled  with  a  motley  assortment  of 
people  of  both  sexes  and  all  ages. 

A  slight  shock  followed  by  a  tremor  through  the 
wood  flooring  startled  Helene.  But  Mr.  Diderot  ex- 
plained that  she  need  not  be  afraid — it  was  only  the 
arrival  of  the  ferry-boat.  At  the  opened  gateway,  he 
handed  her  the  ticket  for  Charlotteville  and  wishing 
her  a  pleasant  journey  he  bowed  in  his  punctilious  way 
and  left  her  to  the  mercy  of  the  crowd  that  soon 
pushed  her  on  to  the  boat.  What  a  hurrying  and  scur- 
rying and  jostling  and  hustling!  Men  with  packages 
and  suit-cases,  women  with  suit-cases  and  packages 
and  children;  men  with  golf  bags  and  women  with 
dogs;  children  clinging  frantically  to  their  mothers' 
skirts — all  perspiring  and  all  craning  their  necks  to 
swallow  the  river's  breeze,  thankful  of  this  respite 
from  the1  city's  heat. 

A  clanking  of  bells,  a  shrill,  long-drawn  whistle,  a 
clinking  of  chains  and  she  was  off — off  on  her  won- 
derful journey  across  the  majestic  river  to  the  hazy, 
mysterious  shore  of  Jersey — her  first  travels  into 
America.  She  gazed  about  her  at  the  people  sitting 
on  the  low  seats  and  standing  in  the  doorways;  they 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       315 

seemed  to  her  to  be  different  from  those  she  had  met 
in  New  York.  The  men  were  so  important,  the 
women  so  self-conscious  and  the  children  so  droll. 

Through  the  open  windows  shone  the  reflection 
from  the  waters  of  the  river,  the  waves  of  which 
sparkled  in  the  sunlight.  Busy  little  tugs  saucily 
stretched  their  prows;  cumbersome  ferry-boats  glided 
past  as  mountainous  shadows.  The  fresh  air  and  the 
wide  expanse  gave  her  a  sense  of  assurance.  She 
decided  to  risk  the  outside  platform. 

As  she  stood  up  to  go  out  a  sudden  recollection 
made  her  start.  Where  was  her  suit-case?  For  a 
moment  she  felt  as  if  her  heart  was  sinking;  but  the 
next  moment  she  gave  a  sigh  of  relief  as  she  remem- 
bered that  Mr.  Diderot  had  "checked"  the  case  to 
Charlotteville.  She  felt  for  the  precious  pasteboard 
in  her  handbag  and  smiled  when  she  found  it  was 
safely  there. 

On  the  platform  without  she  looked  about  her 
drinking  in  the  wonderful  expanse  of  water  and  free 
air  and  blue  sky.  The  great  river  with  its  baggage  and 
floats,  tugs  and  steamers,  sailing  vessels  and  a  big  liner 
steaming  slowly  down  towards  the  Bay,  little  launches 
and  graceful  yachts,  appeared  to  her  like  the  river  of 
life  itself.  Looming  up  and  drawing  nearer  and 
nearer,  the  cavernous  train-shed  flanked  by  stupendous 
grain  elevators,  looked  to  her  like  gigantic  fortifica- 
tions guarding  and  preventing  a  possible  entry  into 
the  green  country  beyond.  Where  did  the  railroad 
begin,  she  wondered? 

And  now  the  people  began  their  jostling  and  hus- 
tling once  more.  Packages  were  seized  and  children 
grabbed  at  the  sound  of  the  clanking  of  chains  and  the 
turning  of  windlass.  Then  came  the  rattling  of  iron 
gates  being  opened  and  the  living  stream  poured  it- 
self on  to  the  land. 


316       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

For  a  moment  she  looked  about  her,  bewildered, 
but  seeing  a  uniformed  individual,  she  plucked  up 
courage  to  ask  him  the  way  to  her  train.  He  scarcely 
deigned  to  notice  her,  but  with  a  motion  behind  him 
he  said :  "Track  number  four  to  your  left."  Helene 
was  no  wiser,  but  she  dared  not  risk  another  inquiry 
and  walked  with  the  crowd.  She  heard  a  benevolent 
looking  elderly  person  in  a  magnificent  uniform  and 
gold-laced  cap  singing  out  some  words  she  could  not 
understand.  She  found  her  courage,  however,  and 
put  her  inquiry  to  him.  To  her  relief  he  led  her  to 
the  car  and  even  assisted  her  to  mount  the  steps.  The 
quick  transition  from  the  outer  glare  to  the  dark  in- 
terior caused  her  to  falter;  but  seeing  that  other  peo- 
ple were  making  free  with  the  cushioned  seats,  she 
chose  one  for  herself  opposite  a  wholesome  looking, 
stout  lady  and  a  small  girl.  She  was  too  timid  to 
look  about  her  and  was  almost  afraid  to  return  the 
happy  smile  of  the  little  child  across  the  aisle.  At 
last  came  the  long  cry  "All  aboard,"  followed  by  a 
hissing  noise  and,  the  train — her  train — moved  slowly 
out. 

She  was  really  on  her  great  journey!  As  the 
engine  gained  headway  the  train  passed  the  pillars 
along  the  track  and  dived  into  a  cavernous  deep  cut 
on  to  a  long  trestle  over  the  housetops.  Then  wind- 
ing its  way  between  simmering  and  smoky  factories, 
past  ugly  board  fences  and  stretches  of  open  land 
covered  with  rubbish,  it  thundered  over  a  bridge  span- 
ning a  broad  expanse  of  muddy  water.  Round  a 
sharp  curve  with  a  shriek  as  if  of  desperation,  and 
there  she  was  in  a  lovely  meadow  gleaming  green  in 
the  sunlight,  the  reeds  and  the  bulrushes  waving  in 
the  breeze — the  country!  America — the  long  sought 
for  land  of  romance — the  New  World! 

Her  heart  beat  with  the  excitement  of  the  rush,  her 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       317 

eyes  fixed  on  the  swiftly  moving  landscape.  The 
deep  rose  color  of  the  giant  mallows  enlivens  the  sage 
green  of  the  reeds;  narrow  veins  of  tidewater  wend 
their  courses  with  almost  geometrical  directness 
through  the  dark  muck  of  the  salt  meadows;  in  the 
distance  are  seen  the  rounded  humps  of  dwarfed 
hills  and  the  tall  smoke-stacks  of  factories.  Then  an^ 
other  river  is  crossed — a  broad  stream  with  shallow 
barges  loaded  with  crimson  bricks  and  yellow  clay. 
The  landscape  gradually  changes  to  cultivated  farm- 
lands. Clumps  of  trees,  cottages  and  cows — real  live 
cows  grazing  along  the  hedgerows — appear  and  dis- 
appear. Through,  the  opening  in  the  foliage  are  seen 
small  villas  and  occasionally  more  pretentious  houses ; 
lawns  and  stone  walls;  highways  with  carriages  andi 
bicycles.  Another  rush  into  a  deep  cut  walled  in  with 
rocks  and  then  a  gentle  gliding  into  the  open  revealing 
a  hilly  country  with  houses,  gardens,  rows  of  trees  and 
avenues.  With  a  rumble,  a  short  bridge  over  a  stream 
traversing  a  deep  green  pasture  is  crossed  and  the 
train  rushes  through  a  quiet  street.  Out  of  the  vil- 
lage with  a  noise  as  of  many  waters  and  into  another 
cut  flanked  by  a  rocky  ledge  dripping  with  moisture 
and  overhung  with  brambles  that  almost  brush  the 
windows  of  the  cars.  Then  once  more  into  the  open, 
rolling  land. 

On  and  on,  northward,  the  train  speeds.  Now  and 
again  it  stops  at  some  small  station  with  a  grinding 
noise  and,  after  a  few  passengers  alight,  the  engine 
bell  rings  once  more,  the  hissing  of  the  brakes  deafens 
the  ear,  and  with  hoarse  puffs  and  groans,  it  is  off 
again,  squeaking,  bumping,  swaying  with  dust  and 
cinders  floating  and  flying  into  the  cars. 

It  is  all  a  stunning,  bewildering,  amazing  and  won- 
derful experience  to  Helene.  She  finds  herself  spec- 
ulating as  to  what  will  come  next,  hoping  it  won't 


3i8       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

last  long,  and  wishing  it  wouldn't  be  over  quickly. 
She  is  under  the  fascinating  spell  of  quick  motion 
through  space  and  is  in  a  continual  tremor  of  excited 
anticipation. 

And  now,  all  at  once,  the  landscape  changed  en- 
tirely. Beautiful  valleys,  fine  streams  shaded  by 
giant  trees,  broad  fields,  endless  levels  of  tasseled 
maize  moving  in  the  wind  passed  by  her  like  a  swiftly 
moving  panorama.  The  hills  became  more  abrupt, 
the  mountains  shut  out  the  horizon.  Houses  were 
now  fewer  and  smaller.  The  mirror  of  a  lake 
gleamed  between  dark  foliage.  A  weather-beaten  gray 
structure  resembling  a  wrecked  whaler,  though  it  was 
only  an  ice-house,  causes  Helene  to  start  back  as  its 
black  shadow  darkened  the  windows.  Then  came  a 
grinding  of  iron  wheels  on  the  metal,  a  creaking 
and  a  scraping,  the  train  began  to  slow  down,  and 
with  a  shock  it  pulled  up  at  the  station — Charlotte- 
ville. 

She  doesn't  realize  that  this  is  her  goal  until  the 
conductor  speaks  to  her  and  a  begrimed  brakeman 
grabs  her  bags  with  a  "your  station,  miss."  Helene 
follows  with  a  sinking  of  the  heart  and  is  left,  stand- 
ing forlorn  on  the  hot,  dried  boards  of  the  platform, 
contemplating  a  number  of  boxes,  trunks,  plows  and 
lawn-mowers  which  lie  around.  She  gazes  after  the 
fast  disappearing  train  utterly  at  a  loss  what  to  do  or 
where  to  turn. 

"Be  ye  lookin'  for  somebody,  miss?"  The  ques- 
tion came  to  her  in  a  quavering,  falsetto  voice. 

Turning  quickly  she  beheld  a  whiskered  nonde- 
script of  a  man  looking  at  her  with  shrewd  eyes  and 
a  dry  smile  on  his  thin  lips. 

"Yes,  sir,"  she  answered;  "Mr.  Post  was  to  meet 
me." 

"I  guess,  it's  Bill  Post  ye  mean,  miss.     Thar's  his 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       319 

team — that  sorrel  over  yonder.  I  guess  I'll  tell 
Artie." 

It  was  Bill  Post's  team  all  right — the  large  blond- 
ish  horse  of  the  breed  of  hard  working  cousin  of  a 
percheron  and  a  box-like  wagon  on  the  driver's  seat 
of  which  a  boy  of  tender  years  with  the  face  of  a 
Methuselah,  sat  humped.  The  whiskered  owner  of 
the  falsetto  voice  deposited  Helene's  valise  on  the 
tailboard  of  the  wagon  and  helped  her  to  a  seat  by 
the  side  of  the  silent  and  prematurely  aged  Artie  who, 
without  opening  his  lips  or  moving  a  facial  muscle, 
gave  a  peculiar  chuckle,  and  the  noble  steed  was  off 
at  a  heavy,  leisurely  amble. 

"Git  ap,  Major !"  came  from  the  tightly  closed  lips 
of  the  boy,  and  at  a  slightly  faster  gait  they  skirted 
the  long,  rambling  frame  building  with  the  sign, 
"John  P.  Brown's  Hotel,"  the  guests  of  which  on  the 
stoop  stared  inquiringly  after  the  ill-assorted  pair  on 
the  wagon.  Next  came  an  unpretentious  structure 
greatly  in  need  of  the  painter's  services  bearing  the 
legend,  "Post  Office."  Passing  this  they  entered  a 
gray  highway,  bordered  with  dust-covered  bushes  and 
weeds. 

The  first  part  of  the  drive  lay  across  an  unattrac- 
tive stretch  of  level  fields  baked  hard  by  months  of 
constant  sunlight,  the  green  of  the  sparse  vegetation  of 
which  seemed  as  though  it  were  struggling  hard  to 
overcome  the  all-enveloping  gray.  The  air  vibrated 
with  the  heat  and  was  laden  with  floating  particles  of 
dust.  Helene's  spirits  sank.  Was  this  the  beautiful, 
wild  rural  America?  Her  eyes  were  smarting  and 
her  throat  parched  and  itching.  Suddenly  the  vehicle 
turned  round  a  sharp  bend  in  the  dust-covered  road 
to  a  short  bridge  with  a  somewhat  elevated  approach. 

What  a  miraculous  change !  And  oh,  what  a  blessed 
relief!  Under  the  rattling  boards  of  the  bridge  ran 


320       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

swiftly  the  most  refreshing-  of  clear  waters  on  which 
graceful  fronds  floated  and  trembled  in  the  current. 
The  banks  of  this  stream  were  fresh  in  green  and 
resplendent  in  the  gay  colors  of  flowers.  A  little  be- 
yond the  road  were  deep  shadowy  woods  of  giant 
trees  with  moss-covered  trunks.  The  bright  foliage 
was  altogether  free  of  the  oppressive  dust.  The  bril- 
liant yellow  of  the  golden-rod  vied  with  the  helio- 
trope and  the  purple  of  wild  asters  to  form  a  charm- 
ing foreground  inviting  to  the  shady  depths  beyond. 
Helene  was  enchanted. 

"What  is  the  name  of  this  pretty  stream?"  she 
risked  in  her  meekest  and  softest  of  tones.  She  was 
really  afraid  to  speak  to  this  boy  of  twelve,  with  the 
serious  immobile  face  that  appeared  so  supernaturally 
indifferent  to  mere  worldly  things.  It  was  almost  a 
sacrilege  to  disturb  so  calm  and  superior  a  being. 

"Pequannock."  And  then,  as  if  he  had  conde- 
scended too  greatly,  "Git  ap,  Major!"  The  rest  was 
silence. 

But  the  ice  was  broken,  for  when  they  passed  an 
opening  in  the  wood  which  showed  a  large  house  with 
broad,  sloping  lawns  in  front  of  it,  he  volunteered  the 
information,  "Mr.  Van  Dusen's  place." 

Helene  was  greatly  relieved.  He  was  just  a  boy 
like  any  other  boy,  after  all,  and  not  a  youthful  Cy- 
clops or  a  Rapunzle.  She  asked  more  questions — 
about  the  district,  about  Miss  Fisher,  about  himself — 
to  all  of  which  he  replied  in  sentences  of  gradually  in- 
creasing length.  So  that  when  at  the  end  of  the  two 
miles'  drive  which  took  the  ungainly  horse  half  an  hour 
to  cover,  they  drew  up  before  a  newly  painted  house 
with  a  row  of  fine  old  maples  shading  it,  she  and 
the  youthful  "whip,"  had  become  fast  friends. 

Margaret  had  spied  the  family  vehicle  in  the  dis- 
tance and  was  at  the  gate  to  meet  Helene.  Affection- 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       321 

ate  greetings  exchanged,  Helene  was  shown  to  her 
room  and  ordered  to  remove  the  stains  of  travel. 

"I'm  just  too  happy  for  words  to  have  you  here," 
exclaimed  Margaret. 

Helene  looked  at  her  friend  and  was  delighted  to  see 
that  she  had  improved  greatly.  Her  cheeks  showed 
the  return  of  color,  the  scar  on  the  temple  had  lost  its 
dull  purple,  and  the  expression  on  her  face  was  just 
the  same  Margy's  of  old. 

As  they  were  descending  the  stairs,  Margaret  whis- 
pered :  "They  are  dying  to  see  you ;  but  they  wouldn't 
for  the  world  let  you  see  their  curiosity.  We  must 
go  to  them  in  the  kitchen." 

"Mrs.  Post,  I've  brought  my  friend,  Miss  Bar- 
ton." 

Mrs.  Post,  a  painfully  plain  and  stolidly  built  wo- 
man of  middle  age,  was  busily  engaged  at  the  range, 
cooking.  She  turned  a  kindly  face  on  hearing  Mar- 
garet's voice. 

"Pleased  to  meet  ye,  Miss  Barton."  She  wiped  her 
hands  deliberately  on  a  clean  apron  and  let  them  drop 
resignedly.  Then,  seeing  the  hand  of  Helene  stretched 
towards  her,  she  seized  it  with  a  glad  smile. 

"So  ye  be  Miss  Fisher's  friend,  be  ye?  Maybe 
ye're  tired  after  yer  long  trip,  hain't  ye,  miss?" 

"Oh,  no,  Mrs.  Post,  the  journey  was  delightful 
and  new;  especially  the  drive  to  the  house." 

"Waal,  I  guess  it  be.  I  ain't  had  a  ride  ter  the  city 
for  nigh  on  five  years.  I  mean  Paterson.  I've  never 
been  to  Noo  York  all  my  life.  But  ain't  ye  hungry? 
Dinner' 11  be  most  ready  in  an  hour — can  ye  wait  that 
long,  miss?" 

Helene  could  and  gladly  would. 

The  two  friends  retired  to  rest  in  the  shade  of  the 
roomy  porch,  and  to  exchange  confidences.  There 
were  not  many  but,  such  as  they  were,  they  were  in- 


322       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

teresting  to  them  since  they  were  born  of  their  own 
lives. 

Margaret  betrayed  an  anxiety  lest  others  who  were 
more  wealthy  and  could  offer  more  pleasure  and 
comforts,  might  entice  Helene  away  from  her.  Her 
questions  were  carefully  framed,  however,  and 
Helene  replied  frankly  and  freely.  She  had  not  seen 
Mr.  Van  Dusen  more  than  she  could  help.  She  had 
really  thought  little  or  nothing  about  him.  Her 
mind  had  been  too  much  occupied  with  her  work  and 
with  thinking  of  Margaret. 

Margaret,  however,  was  not  quite  satisfied  and  per- 
sisted in  putting  more  questions  all  bearing  on  the 
same  subject,  until  Helene  was  quite  puzzled. 

"What  is  it  you  are  driving  at,  Margy?  Tell  me, 
now — what's  in  your  head?" 

Margaret  looked  into  the  honest  eyes  of  her  friend, 
clear  as  a  June  sky,  and  was  satisfied. 

"I  guess,  nothing,  my  dear,"  she  said,  "nothing  at 
all.  I  love  you  so  that  I  suspect  everybody  has  de- 
signs on  your  affections.  I  guess  I'm  just  a  jealous, 
selfish  old  thing.  Forget  all  about  it." 

After  the  mid-day  meal  Margaret,  in  obedience  to 
the  doctor's  orders,  retired  to  her  room  for  a  rest. 
Helene,  left  to  herself,  took  a  book  and  recalling  a 
shady  nook  she  had  passed  on  her  way  to  the  farm- 
house, crossed  the  road  and  sought  its  seclusion. 


CHAPTER   XXV 

THE  small,  moss-covered  clearing  under  the 
beaches  proved  to  be  an  ideal  retreat — a  place 
good  for  the  soul  longing  for  isolation — a 
refuge  for  those  desiring  to  escape  from  the  insis- 
tent call  of  the  obstinate  present. 

The  sloping  ground,  soft  and  furry  like  a  carpet, 
invited  relaxation.  The  book  seemed  clever  and  prom- 
ising— but  somehow  she  could  not  concentrate  her  at- 
tention on  its  pages ;  her  mind  would  wander  off  aim- 
lessly. She  began  to  muse,  and  the  volume  slid  on  to 
the  moss. 

This  life  she  was  living — was  it  really  to  be  her  life 
always?  This  wonderful  land  had  opened  up  to  her 
new  vistas  and  new  experiences.  The  people  were,  oh, 
so  kind  and  good  to  her.  It  was  all  very  interesting 
and  no  doubt  worthy  the  efforts.  But  was  this  the  land 
for  her — for  her,  the  last  of  her  race  ? 

She  had  been  so  enthusiastic  in  the  morning.  She 
had  been  looking  forward  to  this  little  vacation  for 
many  days;  and  now,  when  it  had  come,  when  every- 
thing was  just  as  she  had  wished  it  to  be,  she  was  not 
happy ! 

What  had  become  of  her  dreams  of  intimate  ex- 
change of  noble  thoughts  with  dear  friends?  Where 
were  her  romantic  fancies  of  a  world  of  love,  of  glory 
and  poetry?  She  knew  not  what  these  dreams  and 
fancies  might  actually  be,  but  she  was  sure  they  were 
not  being  realized  now.  Was  her  life's  horizon  to  be 
landlocked  as  was  this  rural  home?  Was  her  life's 
goal  to  reach  no  farther  than  the  making  of  pretty 

323 


324       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

bonnets  for  strangers  ?  Was  this  to  be  her  ideal  ?  Cer- 
tainly she  had  found  a  freedom  from  one  kind  of  bond- 
age, but  had  she  not  obtained  it  only  to  find  herself 
bound  by  far  more  cruel  fetters — the  drudgery  of  a 
life  occupied  in  gaining  a  livelihood  and  losing  its  soul? 

Would  she  be  compelled  to  point  to  this  as  her  only 
achievement  ?  And  what  would  Mr.  Morton  say  when 
her  hour  of  reckoning  came  with  him?  "And  it  was 
for  this — that  you  disobeyed  your  father's  wishes,  and 
gave  me  unspeakable  pain!"  Had  she  pained  him? 
Had  she  disregarded  her  father's  injunctions?  Oh — 
if  she  could  but  be  enlightened  on  these  doubts,  these 
ever  recurring  questions! 

She  sat  meditating,  lost  to  her  surroundings  while 
the  busy  bees  hummed  and  the  flies  buzzed  about  her. 
A  slender  catbird,  smooth  and  droll  like  a  dainty  squir- 
rel, its -bright  beetle  eyes  turned  inquisitively  upon  the 
intruder,  slipped  in  and  out  of  the  underbrush — "Peep" 
— "Peep" — its  mate  joined  in  the  sport, — "Peep,"  and 
they  were  gone.  Little  kinglets  with  their  wine-colored 
caps  flitted  from  branch  to  branch,  chirruping  in  sweet 
confidence.  A  subdued  whirr  drew  Helene's  eyes  idly 
to  a  tall  plant  swaying  in  blossom  in  the  glaring  sun- 
shine; above  it  was  the  most  exquisite  of  little 
creatures  floating  in  a  haze  produced  by  the  rapid  mo- 
tion of  its  delicate  wings,  its  thread-like  bill  seemingly 
resting  within  the  flower.  Whirr — it  had  vanished! 

Was  this  an  enchanted  glade  or  a  fairy's  retreat? 

Yes — even  if  she  had  done  wrong  in  running  away, 
she  had  learned  to  know  something  of  life,  life  as  it  was 
to  the  vast  majority  of  humankind.  She  had  come  to 
know  this  great  Western  world — his  own  land. 
Surely  he  could  not  but  approve — he 

An  aggressive  noise,  resembling  the  sound  of  scis- 
sors being  ground  on  a  whetstone,  piercing  and  dis- 
turbing, broke  her  reveries.  Helene  sat  up  staring  into 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       325 

the  leafy  tangle  which  screened  her  refuge.  What 
could  it  be  ?  There  it  was  again.  It  was  only  a  locust, 
had  Helene  but  known  it,  but  its  arrival  had  broken 
the  spell;  her  retreat  became  once  more  but  the  hot, 
sweltering  clearing;  the  buzzing  of  the  flies  became 
an  annoyance,  the  bees  a  threat.  She  was  again  alone 
— a  stranger  among  a  strange  people. 

Oh,  no — not  alone!  There  was  always  her  good 
Margy.  No  one  could  take  her  from  her.  And  there 
were  her  own  thoughts  and  memories.  No  one  could 
steal  them  from  her.  And — autumn  would  soon  be 
here — the  day  of  reckoning  and,  perhaps,  the  day  of 
promise,  also — the  day  when  her  letter  must  be  written 
and  sent.  But  her  first  duty  was  to  Margaret.  She 
must  help  her  dear  friend  and  protector  to  get  well.  As 
soon  as  they  were  again  settled  at  home,  she  surely 
would  set  to  work  on  the  letter.  And  an  inward  voice 
whispered  to  her :  "my  knight  without  blemish."  She 
rose  and  smoothed  out  her  crumpled  dress  to  cover 
her  self-confusion  at  the  unspoken  words. 

Carefully  picking  her  way  through  the  tall  weeds 
and  brush  she  gained  the  road.  Glancing  for  a  mo- 
ment towards  the  house  she  saw  no  one  about ;  but  the 
next  instant  her  attention  was  drawn  to  a  distant  cloud 
of  dust  and  the  sound  of  the  regular  hoofbeats  of 
horses.  A  carriage  was  approaching,  and  soon  it  drew 
up  before  the  gate  of  the  Post's  farm-house.  Hesita- 
ting what  she  should  do,  she  saw  a  man  alight,  but, 
instead  of  going  up  to  the  house,  he  turned  and  made 
straight  to  where  she  was  standing. 

As  he  approached  nearer  she  recognized  Mr.  Van 
Dusen.  Her  indecision  died  in  its  inception.  Hat  in 
one  hand  and  the  other  extended  cordially  he  called 
out: 

"How  are  you,  Miss  Barton?  I  am  so  glad  to  see 
you.  What  good  fairy  brought  you  here?" 


326       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Somewhat  embarrassed,  she  permitted  him  to  take 
her  hand,  and  press  it  lightly.  He  felt  rather  than 
saw  her  indifference.  "You  are  not  pleased  to  see  me, 
Miss  Barton?"  he  added  with  a  weak  smile.  "But 
never  mind,  since  I  am  here,  may  I  walk  with  you  ?" 

"Y-e-s,  Mr.  Van  Dusen.  Miss  Fisher  is  resting — 
the  doctor's  orders,  you  know — but  it  is  almost  time 
for  her  to  waken.  Do  you  wish  to  see  her  ?" 

"Ah,  Miss  Barton,  I  am  not  going  to  let  you  get  rid 
of  me  in  that  way.  Let  Miss  Fisher  have  her  full  al- 
lowance of  sleep ;  my  message  to  her  can  wait.  Mother 
sent  me  to  invite  her  and  you  for  a  drive  around  the 
lakes  to-morrow.  The  country  is  looking  so  beautiful, 
she  thought  you  would  enjoy  the  water  and  the  hotels 
along  the  shore.  But  may  I  be  frank?  I  agreed  to 
be  her  messenger  because  I  had  heard  you  were  ex- 
pected to-day.  Now,  please,  Miss  Barton,  don't  look 
so  forbidding.  I  do  so  want  to  speak  to  you." 

Helene  made  a  motion  as  if  about  to  step  back,  a 
slight  blush  suffusing  her  cheek  and  neck.  Courteously 
bowing  her  proud  little  head  she  said  in  somewhat  stac- 
cato tones: 

"Very  well,  Mr.  Van  Dusen;  but  I  really  think  we 
ought  both  of  us  go  in  to  Miss  Fisher.  I  am  her  guest, 
you  know." 

"I  know,  Miss  Barton,  but  let  me  Have  my  way,  won't 
you?  This  place,  these  woods,  fields  and  lakes,"  he 
added  with  a  wave  of  his  arm,  "have  been  my  play- 
ground ever  since  I  was  a  boy.  I  know  every  nook 
and  corner.  You  are  not  alone  Miss  Fisher's  guest 
but  the  guest  of  us  all  who  live  here  and  love  this  se- 
cluded corner  of  Jersey.  Do  let  me  be  your  guide  and 
show  you  around."  His  humorous  eyes  gave  his  face 
so  whimsical  an  expression  that  Helene  almost  re- 
gretted her  coldness  towards  him. 

"Have  you  seen  the  orchard  and  the  enchanted 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       327 

bovver  of  Kittanah,  the  Indian  Maiden  who  dwelt  here 
more  than  two  hundred  years  ago?  No?  It's  right 
round  the  bend  of  this  road,  less  than  a  minute's  walk, 
and  really  well  worth  a  visit.  Shall  we  go  ?" 

His  playful  insistence  and  her  own  desire  to  efface 
the  impression  of  her  cool  reception  of  him  conquered 
her  indecision.  She  turned  with  him  along  the  road 
to  where  the  orchard  was  situated. 

Gnarled  old  fruit  trees  laden  with  red,  green  and 
speckled  apples,  deep  grass  that  clung  to  ankles,  weeds 
of  unusual  size  and  luxuriance,  and  all  against  a  dense 
clump  of  birches  as  background. 

Within  these  birches  were  flat  boulders  covered  with 
lichen  and  small  tufts  of  living  green —  "The  Indian 
bower,  Miss  Barton;  behold  the  throne  of  Kitta- 
nah !" 

It  was  a  pretty  spot,  and  Helene  felt  no  regret  that 
she  had  come.  Van  Dusen  drew  out  his  handkerchief, 
spread  it  carefully  over  the  rock  and  invited  his  com- 
panion to  sit  down.  "You  must  let  me  see  how  a  white 
maiden  would  appear  upon  the  throne  of  her  ancient 
copper-colored  sister." 

Helene  smilingly  obeyed,  and  the  young  man  stepped 
back  in  mock  criticism,  nodding  approval. 

"Miss  Barton,  tradition  tells  that  this  Indian  maiden 
outrivalled  in  beauty  all  the  other  girls  of  her  age  and 
place.  But  I  think — there  never  sat  upon  this  rock 
a  more  beautiful  girl  than  she  who  is  sitting  there 
now." 

Helene  rose.  The  very  thing  she  had  dreaded  was 
going  to  happen.  She  had  been  very  foolish  to  come 
to  this  place. 

"Miss  Barton,  please  sit  down." 

Hardly  knowing  what  she  was  doing,  Helene  re- 
sumed her  seat,  helplessly. 

Van  Dusen  came  close  up  to  her,  the  smile  gone 


328       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

from  his  face,  and  in  its  place  an  expression  of  grim 
determination. 

"Miss  Barton,  ever  since  I  first  met  you  I  have  had 
but  one  thought — to  win  you  if  I  could.  I  know  you 
have  given  me  no  encouragement ;  indeed,  I  believe  you 
have  avoided  me.  Yet,  I  still  beg  of  you  to  permit  me 
to  plead  my  cause." 

Helene,  with  downcast  eyes,  sat  patiently,  her  hands 
folded,  a  troubled  expression  on  her  face. 

"I  don't  amount  to  much,  I  know,  but  I  am  a  pretty 
clean  fellow  and  I  am  awfully  fond  of  you.  Won't 
you  give  me  a  chance  to  show  you  how  in  earnest  I 
am?  To  see  more  of  you?  There  isn't  another  girl 
like  you  in  this  world.  I  know  there  are  lots  of  fellows 
much  better  than  I,  but — do  give  me  a  chance !" 

As  he  spoke  the  last  words  he  took  Helene's  hand, 
his  eager  face  flushed  with  his  emotions.  She  gently 
drew  it  away,  and  looking  up  piteously  at  the  young 
man  she  mustered  just  enough  strength  to  say  sadly: 
"Mr.  Van  Dusen — I  don't  know  what  to  say,  and  if  I 
did  I  wouldn't  know  how  to  say  it.  You  are  very  kind. 
I — I  have  never  thought  of  any  man  as  you  wish  me 
to  think  of  you.  We  ought  not  to  have  come  here; 
we  should  both  of  us  then  have  been  saved  this  great 
embarrassment.  Please,  remember,  that  I  have  no  one 
but  Miss  Fisher — that  I  am  her  only  friend.  Shall  we 
return  to  the  house?" 

"Miss  Barton,  Helen  dear,  will  you  not  give  me  some 
encouragement,  some  hope " 

"Oh,  Mr.  Van  Dusen — what  can  I  say?  Really,  I 
must  not  listen  to  you  any  longer.  Pray,  permit 
me!" 

Her  heart  in  a  riotous  beating,  her  temples  throb- 
bing and  her  face  filled  with  indignation,  Helene  rose 
and  ran  toward  the  orchard.  And  as  she  ran  she  kept 
thinking :  he  had  no  right  to  speak  to  her  thus :  Margy 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       329 

would  have  to  tell  him  that  he  must  not  visit  them 
again.  Her  feet  became  entangled  in  the  deep  grass 
and  treacherous  brambles,  and  she  was  compelled  to 
walk  and  pick  her  way. 

Van  Dusen,  who  had  followed  her  at  a  quick  pace, 
hurt  and  offended  at  he  knew  not  what,  was  the  first 
to  break  the  awkward  silence  following  on  the  pre- 
cipitate flight. 

"Don't  be  angry  with  me,  Miss  Barton.  I  did  not 
mean  to  hurt  your  feelings.  I  can  see  I  am  distasteful 
to  you;  but  you  need  have  no  fear."  He  paused  for 
breath.  Then  seeing  that  she  was  finding  it  difficult 
to  get  over  the  brambles,  he  added  in  an  unconscious 
non  sequitur:  "Pardon  me,  if  you  don't  keep  to  the 
path  you  will  tear  your  shoes  and  skirt.  You  are  get- 
ting into  a  patch  of  low  bush  blackberries;  they  are 
worse  than  barbed  wire." 

Helene  stopped  short,  her  sense  of  humor  overcom- 
ing her.  After  all  the  young  man  had  not  done  any- 
thing very  grievous!  Of  course,  it  was  absurd,  but 
he  meant  well  and  she  had  been  wrong  to  be  indignant 
with  him. 

She  turned  to  Van  Dusen,  and  the  smile  which 
met  him  was  like  a  ray  of  sunshine  breaking  through 
threatening  clouds.  "Mr.  Van  Dusen — I  am  sorry.  It 
was  rude  of  me  to  run  away.  I  was  taken  unawares. 
Please  pardon  me.  You  may  show  me  the  path.  I 
can't  afford  to  ruin  my  shoes  and  spoil  my  vacation. 
But  you  must  promise  me  not  to  refer  to  the  subject 
again.  Will  you  promise,  Mr.  Van  Dusen?" 

"Miss  Barton,  I  may  not  be  a  genius  but  nobody  can 
say  I  don't  know  when  I  am  not  wanted.  I  apologize," 
he  added  in  a  more  earnest  and  subdued  voice,  "and  let 
us  be  friends.  I  guess  I  am  not  good  enough  for  you !" 

"No,  Mr.  Van  Dusen,  you  are  unjust  to  yourself. 
You  are  a  gentleman  and  you  have  been  very  kind  to 


330       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

me.    But — oh,  well,  I  suppose  I  am  foolish.    Let  us 
go  back  to  Miss  Fisher." 

Van  Dusen,  silent  and  depressed,  led  the  way  back 
along  the  path  over  the  hard-baked  field,  through  the 
orchard  and  into  the  road.  Helene  spoke  not  another 
word  all  the  way. 

Whether  she  intended  it  or  not  her  silence  convinced 
Van  Dusen  that  he  need  look  for  no  further  hope  from 
her.  It  was  not  coquetry,  but  a  definite  and  permanent 
refusal.  What  an  ass  he  had  been  not  to  see  that  she 
never  cared  for  him!  But  that  he,  a  Van  Dusen, 
should  have  been  turned  down  by  a  snip  of  a  milliner! 
No,  no,  he  must  not  think  that.  He  was  a  cad  to  call 
her  names  even  in  thought.  Ah,  she  was  a  beautiful 
girl — as  good  as  they  made  them — but,  she  had  not 
been  made  for  him,  worse  luck !  Of  course,  there  must 
be  another  fellow.  But,  by  George,  couldn't  she  look 
proud !  And  what  a  temper  she  could  show !  Ah,  but 
she  looked  more  beautiful  angry  than  smiling.  Oh, 
well,  if  she  didn't  care  to  talk  he  wouldn't  make  her. 
There  was  the  gate,  and  there  was  Miss  Fisher,  all 
in  white,  smiling  and  wholesome.  After  all,  there  was 
no  girl  like  an  American  girl.  These  foreigners 

"Hello,  people,  where  have  you  two  been?"  came 
Margaret's  cheery  greeting  to  the  silent  pair  emerging 
from  the  cover  of  the  trees ;  "exploring  the  landscape, 
Helen?" 

"How  do  you  do,  Miss  Fisher!"  Van  Dusen  wel- 
comed the  break  in  the  oppressive  silence  he  had  en- 
dured. "You  look  very  well.  I  need  not  ask  if  the 
country  is  doing  you  good!  Mother  sent  me  with  a 
message  to  you,  but  as  I  learned  you  were  resting  I 
proposed  to  Miss  Barton  to  visit  the  'Kittanah  Rock'— 
and  here  we  are." 

"How  are  you,  Mr.  Van  Dusen.  Come  in  and  sit 
down  in  the  shade.  This  is  the  only  cool  spot  I  know 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       331 

around  here.  Were  you  interested  in  the  Indian  Rock, 
Helen?  You  didn't  know  we  could  boast  of  ancient 
history  here,  did  you?" 

They  sat  on  the  camp  chairs  in  the  grass  under  the 
spreading  maples,  chatting  in  desultory  fashion.  Hel- 
ene,  however,  soon  retired  to  her  room,  offering  as  an 
excuse  her  dishevelled  condition  after  the  walk. 

As  he  sat  facing  the  comely  Margaret  with  her 
shrewd  eyes,  Van  Dusen  realized  that  it  would  be  use- 
less for  him  to  make  a  secret  of  what  had  happened 
in  the  orchard.  He  saw  that  she  already  more  than 
guessed.  Moreover,  his  disappointment  at  the  rebuff 
made  him  feel  a  deep  desire  to  unburden  himself;  per- 
haps, also,  to  obtain  a  little  sympathy.  He  sought  for 
an  opportunity,  and  it  came  when  Helene  left  them 
together.  But  it  was  Margaret  who  seized  it  first. 

"What  have  you  been  saying  to  Helen,  Mr.  Van 
Dusen?  She  seems  unusually  quiet,  and  she  kept  her 
eyes  away  from  you.  I  have  elected  myself  Helen's 
guardian,  you  know,  and  her  happiness  is  dear  to  me. 
What's  been  the  trouble?" 

"Miss  Fisher,"  the  young  man  fidgeted  and  spoke 
nervously.  "I  know  you  will  be  angry  with  me.  I've 
made  an  arrant  fool  of  myself.  I  proposed  to  Miss 
Barton,  and  was  promptly  refused.  I  hardly  know 
how  I  came  to  do  it,  but,  I  suppose  I  couldn't  help 
it." 

Margaret's  face  paled ;  she  closed  her  eyes  and  said 
not  a  word. 

"Miss  Fisher,  I  see  you  are  angry.  But  I've  made 
it  all  right.  I  don't  know  how  I  came  to  forget  myself, 
because,  as  I  sit  here  now,  I  feel  as  if  I'm  not  in  love 
with  her  at  all — and  never  have  been.  If  I  feel  hurt 
it's  not  my  heart  that  has  been  wounded,  but  my  van- 
ity. Do  say  a  kind  word  to  me,  Miss  Fisher.  I  don't 
want  you  tQ  send  me  a,way  in  anger," 


332       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Margaret  opened  her  eyes  and  looked  at  Van  Dusen 
for  a  moment  with  slight  disdain.  The  ingenuousness 
of  the  young  man,  however,  was  so  transparent,  and 
indicated  so  honest  a  nature  that  she  was  moved  to 
smile — the  free  and  open  smile  which  only  she  could 
give. 

"Poor  boy!"  she  said,  "I  guess  you  are  right,  you 
couldn't  help  it.  I  don't  blame  you.  If  I  were  a  man 
I  would  have  done  as  you  did.  But  you  must  not  come 
with  us  to-morrow;  it  would  be  awkward  for  both 
of  you.  Oh,  I  do  wish  men  wouldn't  insist  on  making 
love  to  every  pretty  girl  they  meet ;  I'm  afraid  you've 
now  spoiled  Helen's  vacation — the  first  one  the  child 
has  had.  I  don't  know  if  you  understand  what  that 
means  to  a  working-girl,  because  you've  never  done 
a  day's  work  in  your  life." 

"You're  right,  missie,  I  don't.  But  what  can  I 
do  ?  Father  thinks  I  am  a  dunce ;  the  fellows  I  know 
don't  do  anything  great,  and  mother  wants  me  to  do 
the  social  stunt  and  shine.  I  wish  I  could  do  some- 
thing. Won't  you  advise  me,  Miss  Fisher?" 

"Advise  you?  Why,  Mr.  Van  Dusen,  I  don't  see 
that  it  is  any  of  my  business!  And  please  don't 
'Missie'  me.  I  am  too  old  for  that.  Really,  you  make 
me  laugh.  I  honestly  believe  you  haven't  grown  up 
yet." 

Any  other  young  man  might  have  resented  the  snub- 
bing he  was  getting,  but  Van  Dusen  enjoyed  it. 

"Never  mind,  Miss  Fisher,"  he  said  laughingly. 
"I'm  not  nearly  the  boy  you  think  I  am.  And  if  you 
keep  on  looking  at  me  with  those  nice  eyes  of  yours — 
I'll  make  another  fool  of  myself.  Now,  please  don't 
get  angry.  I'm  going  to  behave  from  now  on.  You 
are  right  about  the  drive  to-morrow,  though  I'm 
awfully  sorry  to  miss  the  pleasure  of  showing  you 
round,  I  had  been  looking  forward  to  it," 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       333 

His  tone  was  light,  but  it  was  evident  that  he  was 
feeling  the  deprivation  deeply. 

"Don't  think  little  of  me,  Miss  Fisher.  I  hope 
some  day  to  prove  to  you  that  I  can  be  of  some  use 
in  the  world.  Say  good-bye  to  Miss  Barton  for  me, 
please.  Good-bye,  Miss  Fisher,  and  think  kindly  of 
me/' 

Van  Dusen  rose  and  held  out  his  hand  to  Margaret, 
who  had  reddened  in  spite  of  herself.  Really,  he 
looked  a  manly  fellow  in  his  earnestness,  despite  the 
flippancy  of  his  manner.  She  couldn't  help  apprecia- 
ting the  sterling  nature  which  it  hid. 

"Good-bye,"  she  said  quietly  as  she  took  his  hand  in 
her  friendly  clasp. 

She  watched  him  get  into  the  carriage  and  take  the 
reins  from  the  waiting  groom,  and  noticed  how  well 
he  sat  his  seat.  Van  Dusen  turned  and  raised  his  hat 
in  a  parting  farewell  to  her  smiling  nods.  There  was 
not  a  trace  to  be  seen  of  either  disappointment  or 
chagrin  in  his  laughing  eyes,  as  he  drove  up  the  road 
and  was  lost  in  the  wooded  avenue.  Margaret  turned 
and  walked  pensively  into  the  house. 

Labor  Day  had  become  a  memory;  Margaret  was 
now  fully  recovered,  and  both  girls  were  back  at  their 
duties.  Their  well-regulated  life,  which  had  been  so 
rudely  interrupted  by  the  accident,  resumed  its  even 
course.  The  new  actors  which,  in  consequence  of  that 
distressing  event,  had  come  into  it,  in  no  way  disturbed 
the  even  tenor  of  their  ways. 

Helene  met  the  spurned  wooer,  after  not  a  few 
qualms  of  conscience,  with  quiet  friendliness.  Van 
Dusen,  on  his  part,  had  swallowed  his  disappointment 
and  became  a  devoted  friend,  using  the  privileges  of 
an  elder  brother,  which  had  been  extended  to  him. 
Helene  had  but  hinted  to  Margaret  at  what  had  oc- 


334       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

curred  between  her  and  Van  Dusen,  and  Margaret  had 
refrained  from  inquiring  too  curiously.  It  was  best 
to  leave  well  alone,  she  thought. 

Flowers  still  came  to  the  house  in  Gramercy  Park; 
but  their  destination  was  the  reverse  of  what  it  had 
been  before.  Then  it  had  been  Helene  who  was  the 
recipient  of  the  roses  and  giant  asters  and  Margaret 
of  the  lesser  flowers.  Now  it  was  to  Margaret  that 
the  more  gorgeous  plants  were  addressed,  and  to  Hel- 
ene were  relegated  modest  little  bouquets  of  lilies  and 
pansies  (pansies?  Did  he  mean — heartsease?)  and 
cornflowers. 

The  arrival  of  the  flowers  for  Margaret  usually 
presaged  an  evening's  outing,  and  Helene  soon  came 
to  understand  that  the  bouquets  which  came  for  her 
were  but  the  expressions  of  courtesy  and  brotherly  at- 
tention. She  did  not  fail  to  tease  Van  Dusen  on  the 
change,  in  her  more  audacious  moods,  to  his  smiling 
content. 

With  renewed  health  Margaret's  cheeks  filled  out 
and  regained  their  old  roundness  and  color.  Indeed, 
her  illness  had  improved  her  appearance.  She  began 
to  add  to  nature's  gifts  the  productions  of  the  lore  of 
the  "Modiste"  and  blossomed  into  as  charming  a  woman 
as  ever  attracted  the  eyes  of  the  dwellers  of  the  Park. 

And  now,  with  the  waning  of  the  summer,  the  first 
signs  of  the  new  "season"  began  to  appear  on  the 
Avenue.  The  World  of  Fashion  was  returning  to  its 
urban  fields  of  activity;  the  shops  once  more  became 
busy  hives  of  jostling  women.  The  evenings  scintil- 
lated and  sparkled  with  brilliant  lights  and  more  bril- 
liant costumes.  The  glamor  of  the  city  drew  people 
from  the  country,  and  once  again  the  busy  stir  of  busi- 
ness and  pleasure  filled  the  blue-covered  canons  of 
New  York. 

As  for  Margaret  and  Helene,  work  kept  them  from 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       335 

ennui.    It  was  a  lesson  to  Helene,  and  she  entered  on 
the  work  of  the  season  with  all  her  heart. 

The  letter,  the  task  of  writing  the  important  letter, 
had  occupied  her  thoughts  for  many  months,  some- 
times as  ominous,  often  as  a  ray  of  hope,  occasionally 
as  a  burden,  but  always  as  a  sacred  duty — a  pilgrimage 
to  a  shrine.  She  had  begun  its  composition  and  had 
destroyed  what  she  had  written  time  and  again.  And 
every  time  she  had  put  off  its  completion,  waiting  for 
a  happier  mood.  When  did  autumn  begin?  Mrs. 
Kane's  almanac  said  the  twenty-second  of  September. 
And  that  was  but  a  few  days  off.  Well,  she  would 
obey  the  promptings  of  her  heart  and  do  it  now.  It 
was  an  evening  when  Margaret  had  decided  to  take 
an  inventory  of  their  belongings  to  see  what  they  re- 
quired in  the  way  of  dresses  for  the  coming  season, 
and  she  had  retired  early,  leaving  Helene  to  herself. 
She  sat  down  determined  to  get  it  done  with  once  for 
all.  At  the  end  of  an  hour  the  letter  was  finished,  all 
but  the  date  and  signature.  She  read  it  over  carefully, 
and  although  she  was  not  satisfied  she  decided  it  would 
have  to  do. 

Surely  he  would  understand!  She  wondered  what 
he  was  doing  in  Cleveland,  and  if  he  ever  thought  of 
his  friend  of  the  Carpathians.  Perhaps  he  had  found 
some  rich  and  beautiful  girl  of  his  own  country! 

And  his  mother  and  sister?  Was  the  Ruth  he  had 
spoken  of  like  the  girls  who  came  to  Madame  Lucile's 
— free  and  lively  and  gay  and  often  slangy?  Was  his 
mother  like  Mrs.  Van  Dusen,  with  her  haughty  air  and 
jewelled  fingers? 

These  and  the  like  questions  she  put  to  herself  only 
to  add  to  her  hesitancy  of  purpose  and  distress  of 
heart  She  had  learned  much  but  she  was  still  a  child 
and  knew  very  little  of  life,  especially  of  life  in 
America. 


336       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

The  greatest  of  all  teachers,  the  omnipotent  opener 
of  all  eyes  and  all  minds,  had  not  yet  come  to  her.  Love 
may  be  blind,  but  it  is  a  wonderful  magician  for  open- 
ing the  heart's  far-seeing  eyes.  It  may  be  blind  to  the 
object  of  its  passion,  but  as  a  teacher  it  takes  the  high- 
est rank.  Helene  did  not  know  this.  She  was  alone  in 
the  world — without  a  home,  without  a  father  or 
mother,  without  even  her  birthright.  In  this  land  of 
her  adoption  she  was  still  a  stranger.  She  could  but 
follow  the  impulses  of  her  heart  blindly.  She  did  not 
realize  it,  but  it  was  love  that  led  her.  And  Monday 
would  be  the  twenty-second ! 


CHAPTER    XXVI 

VERY  soon  after  he  had  entered  on  his  adminis- 
trative duties  in  connection  with  the  business 
his  father  had  bequeathed  him,  John  Morton 
had  found  that  one  thing  was  certain — he  must  give 
his  whole  heart  and  mind  to  the  work,  or  things  would 
go  wrong.  Judge  Lowell  had  put  it  to  him  character- 
istically when  he  said :  "You  must  either  attend  strictly 
to  the  executive  work,  or  pay  some  one  else  to  do  it 
for  you.  A  leader  cannot  sit  astraddle."  Morton  had 
not  believed  him,  at  first,  but  it  was  not  long  before 
he  found,  to  his  sorrow,  that  the  judge  was  right;  and 
then  he  knuckled  down  to  the  system. 

When  he  began  gradually  to  master  the  fundamental 
principles  of  generalship  underlying  the  direction  of 
so  gigantic  an  enterprise,  he  experienced  a  curious 
sense  of  elation  and  self-satisfaction.  Nothing  pleased 
him  more  than  to  notice  the  admiration  in  the  eyes 
of  the  old  warhorses  of  his  father's  army.  The  knot- 
tiest of  problems,  he  found,  would  yield  to  earnest 
thought  and  tactful  work. 

Those  who,  at  the  beginning,  had  looked  at  him 
evasively  or  contemptuously,  had  of  late  given  both 
their  approval  and  confidence.  The  heads  of  the  many 
diversified  interests  had  tested  him  and  had  found  he 
was  not  wanting.  They  realized  that  he  was  both  able 
and  strong.  "A  chip  of  the  old  block,"  some  of  them 
said  with  a  smile,  and  others  would  remark:  "I  told 
you  the  acorn  wouldn't  drop  very  far  from  the  oak," 
or  "Old  Pan  in  his  prime  wasn't  in  it  with  the  boy." 

337 


338       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

These  were  the  opinions  expressed  by  those  who  were 
in  the  business  with  him. 

"The  Street"  had  even  begun  to  whisper  that  it 
wasn't  wise  to  monkey  with  young  Morton,  and  griz- 
zled old  bankers  had  found  it  desirable  to  consult  with 
him  before  deciding  on  some  of  their  "big  moves." 
From  the  outset  he  had  declined  offices  on  financial 
boards,  pleading  lack  of  experience;  but  somehow  im- 
portant enterprises  would  be  mentioned  to  him  at  their 
inception.  The  players  on  the  chess-board  knew  that  it 
was  safer  to  give  Morton  a  chance  to  make  a  move  or 
not,  as  he  felt  inclined.  Thus  it  was  that  every  day 
found  Morton  more  firmly  seated  in  his  father's  ample 
chair,  and  found  also  that  the  work  connected  with  his 
duties  left  him  more  and  more  invigorated. 

His  life  with  such  responsibilities  was  bound  to  be- 
come circumscribed  in  ever-narrowing-  circles,  and 
could  not  fail  to  leave  on  him,  both  in  his  features  and 
bearing,  indelible  marks  of  care  and  thought.  He 
found  little  room  for  indecision,  small  opportunity  for 
moroseness,  and  fewer  moments  for  idle  dreaming. 
He  carried  himself  so  seriously  that  his  old  friends  at 
the  club  scarcely  recognized  in  him  the  John  Morton 
of  the  past.  He  no  longer  found  time  for  intercourse 
with  men  of  science,  nor  for  indulgence  in  reading 
books.  John  Morton  had,  indeed,  come  into  Adam's 
legacy — work  and  plenty  of  it. 

Mrs.  Morton  and  Ruth,  although  they  could  have 
but  few  opportunities  for  coming  in  contact  with  the 
business  world,  heard  some  of  these  good  opinions. 
Married  ladies,  from  whom  their  husbands  kept  no 
business  secrets,  would  repeat  what  they  had  been  told ; 
fiancees  would  carry  the  expressions  their  future  lords 
and  master  had  made  about  Morton;  Judge  Lowell,  on 
his  occasional  visits,  never  failed  to  avow  his  high  es- 
teem -of  this  paragon  of  a  son.  They  heard  that  he  had 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       339 

been  elected  to  the  dignified  offices  his  father  had  held, 
and  to  which  only  honorable  and  estimable  men  were 
called;  that  his  advice  and  counsel  were  sought  in 
matters  of  public  welfare,  civic  improvement  and  works 
of  charity.  The  Randolph  in  him  may  have  been 
strong,  but  there  was  enough  Morton  in  his  compo- 
sition to  make  his  power  felt,  and  those  who  looked  to 
him  for  action  were  not  disappointed. 

Mother  and  admiring  sister  regretted  his  now  regu- 
lar absence  from  their  drawing-room  gatherings  and 
his  even  less  frequent  visits  to  the  country  home.  But 
the  women  of  America  are  content  to  accept  the  de- 
mands that  business  makes  on  their  husbands  and 
brothers.  As  long  as  John  kept  his  health  and  looked 
as  handsome  as  ever,  with  his  face  lit  up  by  his  humor- 
ous smile,  they  were  satisfied. 

They  had  almost  forgotten  the  existence  of  "the 
dark  lady"  of  the  Carpathians.  Ruth  had  gone  so  far 
as  to  say  that  she  believed  John  "had  been  stringing" 
them  about  her.  She  still  was  as  determined  as  ever 
to  marry  her  handsome  brother  to  some  beautiful 
American  girl,  which  was  her  reason  for  not  sharing 
in  her  mother's  pride  at  his  continued  devotion  to  busi- 
ness. Not  that  she  objected  to  hear  people  talk  in 
praise  of  John;  but  she  could  see  no  sense  in  working 
so  hard  for  money  when  they  already  had  more  than 
they  needed.  John  lived  like  a  hermit,  she  said. 

Her  brother  would  listen  to  her  smilingly,  pat  her 
on  the  cheek  and  explain  that  the  interests  of  their  es- 
tate demanded  it.  Her  mother  would  talk  of  the 
sacred  duty  John  owed  to  his  father's  plans.  But 
neither  argument  had  much  weight  with  Ruth,  for 
whom  life  was  a  much  more  interesting  affair  than 
mere  money-making.  However,  she  said  nothing,  but 
quietly  made  up  her  mind  to  carry  out  her  plans.  She'd 
see  that  John  married,  come  what  may. 


34Q       UNDER    THE. BIG    DIPPER 

Moved  by  the  desire  to  be  nearer  her  son,  Mrs.  Mor- 
ton, towards  the  middle  of  the  summer,  had  brought 
her  household  goods  from  Newport  to  the  big  mansion 
on  the  Hudson.  John  had  agreed  to  come  there  at  least 
once  during  the  week  and  to  spend  his  Sundays  with 
her.  She  made  occasional  trips  to  New  York  for 
shopping  and  visiting  purposes,  on  which  Ruth  would 
often  accompany  her — especially  for  the  shopping.  On 
such  occasions  they  generally  succeeded  in  bringing 
John  home  with  them.  They  found  that  he  was  will- 
ing to  break  important  engagements,  though  to  them 
these  engagements  seemed  strangely  unimportant.  He 
would  meet  them  at  some  store  or  at  the  Terminal, 
and  his  escort  was  always  an  added  pleasure  to  them. 
Mrs.  Morton,  in  particular,  felt  a  great  pride  in  driv- 
ing home  with  her  son.  Their  arrival  was  like  a  tri- 
umphal entry  into  some  feudal  castle.  Her  eyes  would 
beam  with  delight  as  she  noted  the  servants'  admiring 
glances  at  "Mr.  John,"  or  the  proprietary  pride  of  the 
old  station-master's  greeting  of  "Mr.  Morton." 

Sometimes  Ruth  would  go  alone  to  visit  a  school 
friend,  who  would  assist  her  in  selecting  her  purchases. 
It  was  on  one  of  these  private  expeditions  that  she 
'phoned  John  and,  catching  him  in  a  moment  of  weak- 
ness, wheedled  him  into  a  promise  to  meet  her  at  Mail- 
lard's  that  day  at  five,  and  to  take  her  back  to  Tarry- 
town. 

Punctual,  as  always,  John  was  at  the  confectioner's 
— the  favorite  place  of  those  ladies  who  believe  they 
need  reviving  refreshment  of  a  stronger  nature  than 
can  be  obtained  at  the  ordinary  department  stores. 
His  arrival  made  Ruth  and  Hattie  Brown,  her  friend, 
the  envy  of  the  other  girls,  who  saw  this  distinguished- 
looking  man  greeting  them.  Is  it  unkind  to  suggest  that 
Ruth  had  selected  the  place  of  rendezvous  with  this 
effect  in  view? 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       341 

John  had  met  Miss  Brown  on  many  previous  occa- 
sions, so  that  he  looked  at  the  girls'  effusive  leave- 
taking  without  much  emotion.  Ruth's  great  charm  to 
him  had  always  been  her  perfect  naturalness  of  man- 
ner, but  this  did  not  prevent  her  behaving  as  other  girls 
did  when  she  was  with  them.  Once  alone  in  the  car- 
riage with  him,  however,  she  quickly  resumed  her 
vivacious  self  and  was  her  brother's  comrade  again. 

The  girl  was  excited,  full  of  fun  and  bubbling  over 
with  laughter,  much  to  her  brother's  amusement. 
Something  unusual  must  have  happened. 

"You  know  that  piece  of  fine  old  timber  on  our 
grounds,  John?  I  mean  on  the  slope  to  the  river." 

John  nodded. 

"Well,  I've  taken  a  fancy  to  it  and  want  it  all  for 
myself.  It's  been  neglected,  because  it  hasn't  got  what 
people  call  'a  wonderful  view.'  It  needs  draining  and 
some  paths  cutting  through  it.  Won't  you  spare  an 
hour  and  come  with  me  to  look  it  over?" 

"I  don't  mind,"  her  brother  remarked  carelessly. 

"And  you  will  please  me,  won't  you,  John,  dear,  and 
have  the  woods  put  into  good  condition?  I'm  tired 
of  hearing  about  grand  vistas  and  glorious  sights  and 
distant  purple  hills  and  all  that  kind  of  rot.  It's  a 
perfectly  lovely  bit  of  timber,  and  if  you  go  the  right 
way  about  it,  it  can  be  made  into  a  most  delightful  spot 
and  a  real  refuge  for  birds  and  small  game.  Put  some 
quail  on  the  place  and  mummy  and  I  will  see  that  they 
are  taken  care  of  and  fed  in  the  winter.  Now  is  just 
the  time,  before  it  gets  too  cold.  If  you  do  this  for 
me,  John,  I'll  reciprocate.  Oh,  I've  made  the  most 
marvellous  discovery  to-day.  I'll  let  you  in  on  it,  if 
you'll  be  good." 

Ruth  rattled  away  without  pausing  for  breath. 

"Well,  sis,  I'll  go  round  the  place  with  you  and  try 
to  see  it  with  your  enthusiastic  eyes;  but  the  superin- 


342       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

tendent  is  really  the  right  man.  However,  your  wish 
shall  be  a  command.  Now,  what's  this  wonderful  re- 
ward I'm  to  get  for  being  good?"  He  spoke  in  a  ban- 
tering voice,  smiling  at  the  excited  face. 

"I'll  tell  you  in  good  time.  It'll  do  you  good  to  feed 
on  your  curiosity  a  little.  You  haven't  enough  emotion 
in  you,  anyway,  John.  All  you  do  is  work  and  plan. 
Before  you  know  it,  you'll  be  nothing  but  a  thinking 
machine.  Ah,  but  I've  got  a  charm  up  my  sleeve  that'll 
make  you  come  out  of  your  shell  and  be  your  old  self 
again.  Oh,  John,  if  you  only  knew!" 

"What  is  this  mysterious  thing  you  are  hiding?  A 
new  collie,  or  a  plant  that  sings  between  drinks,  or 
some  new  genius  ?  Tell,  oh,  sloe-eyed  daughter  of  my 
race!" 

"You  can  laugh  at  me,  if  you  like;  but  I  tell  you, 
John,  I've  struck  it  rich.  You'll  have  to  wait.  All 
things  come  to  him  who  waits.  First  my  woods  and 
roads  and  drains,  and  then — your  reward." 

They  had  arrived  at  the  Terminal  by  this  time  and 
John  had  all  he  could  do  to  guide  Ruth  through  the 
crowd  into  the  train.  In  due  course  they  reached  home 
and  a  short  time  after  the  modest  family  of  three  were 
seated  round  the  dinner-table. 

Though  a  simple  function,  dinner  was  always  an 
important  affair  for  Mrs.  Morton  when  her  son  was 
with  them.  She  took  pride  in  seating  him  in  the  high- 
backed  chair  at  the  head  of  the  table  and  would  gaze 
lovingly  at  his  handsome  face  and  listen  entranced  to 
his  conversation.  In  Mrs.  Morton's  opinion  John  could 
talk  better  than  Daniel  Webster.  A  day's  absence 
would  afford  her  an  excuse  for  discovering  new  vir- 
tues in  her  boy.  Unlike  the  other  women  of  her  sta- 
tion, she  had  remained  what  they  would  have  charac- 
terized as  "old-fashioned."  Home  to  her  had  its  old 
meanings  and  old  duties — it  meant  home,  and  not  a 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       343 

mere  stopping-place  for  the  country  club  or  the  golf 
links  or  the  porch  for  slangy  gossip.  So  that  visitors 
to  her  house  still  found  in  it  the  air  of  bygone  days 
and  were  grateful  for  it. 

Mrs.  Morton  had  long  since  laid  out  her  course  of 
life  and  kept  to  it.  She  knew  that  so  long  as  John 
felt  that  he  was  taking  care  of  her  and  Ruth,  he  would 
stick  to  his  business.  She  herself  was  not  at  all  neces- 
sary to  him ;  but  her  pride  lay  in  his  strength  and  ability 
to  succeed.  She  was  deeply  afraid  he  might  drift 
again  into  the  "bohemian  life"  of  aimless  study  and 
travel,  as  she  classed  his  previous  lapses  into  those 
fields.  She  could  understand  being  a  gentleman  of 
leisure,  even  approve  of  it;  she  could  easily  accept  the 
life  of  ceaseless  labor  and  planning  of  business  enter- 
prises, for  she  had  had  the  example  of  that  in  her  boy's 
father;  but  she  could  see  nothing  in  studying  for 
study's  sake,  or  in  a  devotion  to  research  for  the  ob- 
ject of  discovery.  This  might  do  for  eccentric  for- 
eigners or  crazy  college  professors ;  but  for  a  Morton 
or  a  Randolph  ? — Never ! 

But  Ruth  had  no  such  compunctions  of  mind,  no  such 
scruples  of  conscience  or  carefully  set  plans.  As  they 
sat  over  the  meal  and  she  listened  to  the  serious  discus- 
sion between  her  mother  and  John  on  subjects  in  which 
she  had  not  the  slightest  interest,  she  became  impatient 

"Mother,  dear,"  she  said,  breaking  in.  "I  must  tell 
you  what  happened  to  me  this  afternoon.  Please  stop 
talking  shop  and  bothering  about  those  horrid  men  in 
their  offices,  without  souls,  who  sit  there  like  spiders 
in  webs.  Anyone  listening  to  you  two  would  think  you 
were  a  couple  of  promoters." 

"I  think,  Ruth,  you  might  have  chosen  a  better  com- 
parison," remarked  Mrs.  Morton  severely.  "What  is 
this  wonderful  thing  that  happened  ?" 

Ruth,  not  a  bit  abashed  at  the  reproof,  went  on : 


344       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

"Well,  Hattie  and  I  were  snoopin'  around  looking 
for  things,  you  know " 

"My  dear,  I  wish  you'd  be  a  little  more  select  in  your 
vocabulary,"  remonstrated  her  mother  mildly. 

"Mummy,  dear,  you  must  let  me  tell  my  story  my 
own  way.  As  I  was  saying,  Hattie  and  I  were  shop- 
ping. You  know  Hattie  simply  won't  have  anything 
else  but  the  latest  and  Frenchiest,  and  no  trouble's  too 
much  for  her  so  long  as  she  digs  it  out.  We  had  been 
to  all  the  likeliest  places — to  Arnitt's  and  Longman's 
and  Carson's  and  many  others,  when  she  insisted  that 
we  should  go  to  Madame  Lucile's.  The  great  lady 
herself  waited  on  her,  and  Hattie  tried  on  almost  every- 
thing there  was  in  the  place — hats,  bonnets,  laces, 
plumes,  frocks — and  could  not  be  suited.  While  the 
things  were  on  the  shelves  they  looked  beautiful,  but 
when  Hattie  tried  them  on  she  couldn't  bear  them.  I 
am  sure  Madame  must  have  been  disgusted.  Even  I 
was  getting  ashamed  of  her.  Well,  at  last  Madame 
suggested  that  Mademoiselle  Hello-a,  or  a  name  some- 
thing like  that,  should  come  and  give  her  opinion.  The 
young  lady,  she  said,  was  the  very  latest  arrival  from 
abroad  and  was  absolutely  faultless  in  her  taste.  Well, 
Mademoiselle  with  the  profane  name  was  sent  for  and 
well,  she  is  simply  wonderful !" 

Ruth  gazed  at  her  listeners  with  eyes  that  said  what 
no  words  could  express.  They  seemed  to  suggest 
dreams  of  delight  and  beauty.  John  leaned  back  and 
roared  with  laughter.  Ruth  gave  him  a  mingled  look 
of  pity  and  disdain,  and  turned  to  her  mother. 

"Mamma,  you  never  in  your  life  saw  such  a  beauti- 
ful girl.  Honest,  she's  simply  a  wonder.  It's  all  very 
well  for  you  to  laugh,  John,  but  you've  not  seen  her. 
But  I'll  take  you  to  see  her  and  then  you'll  know  if  I'm 
right  or  not.  I  don't  believe  she's  a  day  older  than 
I  am,  but,  somehow  she's  quite  womanly.  And  her 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       345 

face,  oh,  mother,  it's  like  the  face  of  that  beautiful 
Gainsborough  picture  we  have,  only  much  younger. 
Her  hair  is  the  loveliest  color  and  her  eyes  are  like 
violets.  As  for  her  figure — well — I'd  give  my  eye- 
teeth  to  have  one  like  it." 

"Say,  Ruth,  let  up  a  little,  won't  you?"  chuckled 
John,  "if  you  go  on  I'll  have  to  be  carried  out  by  the 
butler." 

"Let  me  tell  you,  you'll  have  to  be  carried  out  when 
you  see  her ;  she's  a  stunner." 

"Ruth,  dear,  don't  get  so  excited,"  begged  Mrs. 
Morton. 

"I'm  not  excited,  mother;  but  John  doesn't  under- 
stand. He's  never  heard  her  speak,  or  he  wouldn't  make 
fun  of  what  I'm  saying.  She  talks  the  prettiest  Eng- 
lish in  the  loveliest  voice  you  ever  heard — and  she's 
so  modest  and  refined.  I  tell  you  she's  one  in  a  mil- 
lion. I  bet  she's  a  lady — every  inch  of  her — and  I 
couldn't  help  saying  nice  things  to  her.  You  ought 
to  have  seen  her  blush  when  I  said  I'd  like  to  know 
her.  If  the  girl  ever  does  her  blushing  stunt  when 
you're  around,  John,  you'll  just  walk  right  up  and  pro- 
pose to  her  on  the  spot.  And  I  hope  she'd  accept  you. 
And  now,  here's  my  proposition.  If  you  fix  up  my 
woods,  I'll  introduce  you  to  her.  Mummy,  dear,  you 
must  come  to  New  York  with  me  and  invite  her  out. 
You'll  fall  in  love  with  her.  You  will  come  and  ask 
her,  won't  you?" 

"But,  Ruth,  how  can  we  invite  a  shop-girl  to  this 
house?  You  are  so  impulsive,  my  dear." 

"She's  not  a  shop-girl;  she's  a  lady,"  exclaimed 
Ruth,  indignantly. 

"But  a  girl  you  know  nothing  about ;  how  can  you 
think  of  it?  I  never  heard  such  a  thing!  What  did 
Hattie  Brown  say?" 

"Oh,  Hattie!  She  thought  her  very  beautiful;  but 
33 


346       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

she  prefers  dark  people.  Madame  Lucile  told  us  after- 
wards that  the  young  lady  was  highly  educated.  Now, 
I've  said  all  I  have  to  say.  If  you  don't  want  to  meet 
her,  John,  that's  your  loss.  But  I  tell  you  she's  a 
wonder." 

John  saw  that  his  sister  was  really  in  earnest  and 
would  hurt  her  feelings  if  he  carried  his  jocular  man- 
ner too  far.  Rising,  he  went  up  to  her  and  put  his 
arms  around  her  shoulders. 

"All  right,  sissie,  some  day  I'll  ask  you  to  introduce 
me.  But  not  just  now.  I'm  going  to  Idaho.  I'll  seek 
your  kind  favors  when  I  get  back.  Mother,  dear,"  he 
turned  to  Mrs.  Morton,  "I've  got  to  go  to  Jackson's 
Hole  next  week.  Do  you  mind  if  I  take  the  oppor- 
tunity to  put  in  a  week's  shooting?  I  feel  I  need  the 
rest." 

"Oh,  John,"  exclaimed  his  mother,  "I'm  so  glad 
you're  going  to  take  a  vacation.  You  deserve  it,  and 
I'm  sure  you  need  it.  When  do  you  start?  There's 
nothing  to  keep  you  so  far  as  I  am  concerned." 

"Thank  you,  mater,  I'll  start  next  Tuesday.  That 
will  give  me  two  days  here.  Judge  Lowell  arrives  on 
Friday  and  promised  to  remain  until  I  return.  He'll 
see  to  everything  you  may  want.  When  you  feel  like 
going  to  town  to  stay  for  the  season,  I've  leased 
the  Arkwright  house,  and  I've  taken  the  even 
days  for  Box  17  at  the  Opera.  Shall  we  have  our 
coffee  on  the  verandah,  mother;  it's  a  lovely  even- 
ing?" 

Mrs.  Morton  smiled  her  assent;  but  said  nothing 
further  about  his  going  away.  Since  her  husband's 
death  she  had  clung  to  John  with  a  double  tenacity— 
a  mother's  love  for  a  son,  and  a  woman's  reliance  on 
the  man.  But  she  was  too  wise  to  permit  her  own 
feelings  to  come  between  them.  When,  later  in  the 
evening,  the  three  were  together  in  the  spacious  living- 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       347 

room,  Ruth  took  her  brother  aside  and  finally  got  her 
way  about  the  little  wood. 

The  following  morning  Morton  returned  to  the  city. 
But  this  time  he  carried  back  with  him  his  old  dreams. 
Ruth's  story  at  the  dinner-table  had  unlocked  a  door 
in  his  memory  which  he  had  kept  closed ;  and  now  the 
gracious  spirit  wandered  once  more  about  the  cham- 
bers of  his  mind  giving  him  neither  rest  nor  hope. 

Would  the  promised  letter  arrive?  Perhaps  it  was 
even  now  on  its  way  to  him  across  the  ocean!  What 
if  it  should  come  while  he  was  away  in  Idaho?  He 
made  a  note  to  leave  instructions  that  it  must  be  for- 
warded on  to  him. 

Love  is  said  to  give  the  lover  almost  supernatural 
powers  of  insight  and  vision,  as  if  the  mysterious  force 
produced  a  psychical  state  which  responded  in  har- 
mony to  the  presence  of  the  loved  one.  If  this  be  true, 
then  Morton  must  have  been  born  of  a  different  species. 
In  all  his  concentrated  thoughts  of  Helene  he  saw 
her  either  in  some  retired  village  in  Germany,  or  in 
some  nunnery,  or  sitting  in  tearful  neglect  in  a  dreary 
attic,  or  living  with  some  high-born  relative  and  walk- 
ing the  world  a  queen  in  grace  and  beauty,  the  cyno- 
sure of  all  eyes.  But  never  for  one  instant  did  he  pic- 
ture her  in  New  York,  working  patiently  and  hope- 
fully in  a  place  he  had  passed  a  thousand  times. 

On  the  Saturday  which  was  to  be  his  last  in  town 
for  some  weeks  to  come,  Morton  decided  to  lunch  at 
his  club  before  leaving  for  Tarrytown.  On  the  way 
he  stopped  his  brougham  at  a  gunsmith's  to  purchase 
a  rifle  and  ammunition  for  his  hunting  trip.  Was  it 
fate  or  did  a  mischievous  fairy  plan  it? 

It  was  a  lovely  day,  one  of  those  days  on  which 
in  certain  places  of  the  earth,  far  from  the  madding 
crowd,  fairies  would  come  out  of  their  secret  places 
and  dance  in  the  green  glades  of  the  cool  forest. 


348       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

New  York's  canons  of  streets  were  blue  and  gold  under 
the  gracious  sunlit  skies.  Surely  one  of  those  lively 
sprites  must  have  mistaken  the  city  in  its  shining 
beauty  for  a  new  kind  of  forest;  for  of  a  certainty 
he  was  there.  He  must  have  skipped  in  past  the  yawn- 
ing policeman  at  the  corner,  heedless  of  the  noise  and 
the  crowds,  and  careless  of  the  consequences.  Seeing 
Morton  in  his  carriage  he  must  have  whispered  to 
him  to  stop  at  the  gunsmith's  shop  and  go  inside  and 
take  his  time.  And  this  sa,me  little  fellow  must  have 
arranged  it  that  Michael  Sweeney,  the  best  judge  in 
the  city  of  a  damascened  barrel,  with  the  finest  touch 
for  adjusting  the  trigger,  should  just  then  be  in  the 
shop  to  wait  on  customers.  For  Michael,  withal  his 
watery  eyes,  could  weigh  powder  with  the  skill  of  an 
assayer  and  discourse  of  guns  as  though  they  were 
his  beloved  children.  Morton  forgot  where  he  was 
and  who  he  was,  so  entranced  was  he.  All  he  felt 
was  that  he  was  going  away  for  a  vacation — he  was 
putting  work  away  and  going  to  play !  The  fairy  had 
certainly  enchanted  him. 

Outside  on  the  avenue  the  horses  in  the  brougham 
stamped  in  nervous  impatience,  switching  their  short 
tails  in  vain  efforts  to  keep  the  flies  away;  the  old 
coachman  on  the  box  had  grown  tired  of  flicking  his 
whip  and  had  dozed  off  in  the  warm  shade.  And  all 
the  time  Morton  was  under  Michael's  spell.  Then 
the  fairy,  who  had  timed  it  well,  touched  the  weight 
of  the  old  clock  in  the  corner  and  started  so  loud  a 
whirr  that  Mike  was  disconcerted.  The  asthmatic 
gong  gave  a  hoarse  ding-dong — it  was  one  o'clock! 

Immediately  Morton  realized  that  he  was  to  get  the 
2.30  train  and  that  he  had  had  no  luncheon.  He  made 
for  the  exit  hurriedly,  giving  at  the  same  time  brusque 
instructions  to  Michael  to  bring  his  purchases  to  the 
carriage. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       349 

Michael  had  wrapped  everything  very  carefully,  as 
was  his  custom,  using  the  brown  paper  and  string 
which  the  famous  establishment  always  took  care 
should  be  of  the  best,  and  hurried  out  in  obedience  to 
Morton's  instructions.  Now  what  followed  proves 
conclusively  that  there  was  a  fairy  or  a  leprechaun, 
as  Michael  would  have  called  him,  in  New  York  that 
afternoon.  For  Michael  had  not  taken  two  steps  be- 
yond his  door,  when  the  string  broke  and  the  con- 
tents of  the  brown  paper  parcel — hooks,  lines  and 
sinkers — were  scattered,  like  the  buttermilk  from  the 
pitcher  of  the  fair  Kitty  of  Coleraine,  all  over  the 
place.  Sweeney,  the  impeccable,  looked  aghast  and 
could  but  stare  at  the  articles  rolling  and  sliding  in 
every  direction. 

Morton  was  on  the  point  of  stepping  into  his  car- 
riage, but  hearing  the  commotion  he  stopped  and 
turned  round.  And  here  is  where  the  fine  Italian  hand 
of  the  fairy  came  in.  For  now  Morton  also  made  a 
discovery. 


CHAPTER   XXVII 

AS  this  Saturday  was  to  be  the  last  of  the  half- 
holidays  of  the  summer,  Margaret  and  Helene 
were  devoting  it  to  replenishing  their  ward- 
robes for  the  coming  autumn.  Monday  would  be  "Fall 
Opening"  day,  with  its  resumption  of  longer  working 
hours,  and  no  other  opportunity  would  be  given  them 
for  this  most  necessary  preparation  for  the  winter. 

The  avenue  was  crowded.  Idle  promenaders 
mingled  with  people  hurrying  to  and  from  work,  all 
exhibiting,  in  dress  and  manner,  the  many  phases  of 
life  in  the  metropolis.  A  touch  of  crispness  in  the 
air  gave  warning  of  the  change  in  the  season. 

Margaret,  broad  and  commanding,  walked  by  the 
side  of  Helene  as  though  protecting  the  slender  figure 
in  black  from  the  press  about  them.  Bent  on  their  im- 
portant affairs  they  stepped  briskly  along  regardless 
of  those  about  them  and  arrived  at  the  gunsmith's  at 
the  very  instant  of  Michael  Sweeney's  mishap. 

Michael,  bent  and  perspiring  with  the  effort  of  col- 
lecting the  scattered  objects,  straightened  up  to  allow 
the  two  ladies  to  pass.  Morton,  at  that  moment, 
turned  and  saw  one  of  them  skip  gracefully  aside  and 
then  catch  up  with  her  companion's  gait.  In  that  same 
instant  Morton  experienced  a  sudden  singing  in  his 
brain  followed  by  an  association  of  ideas  and  an  awak- 
ening of  memory.  He  became  dimly  conscious  of 
something  familiar  about  the  graceful  skip  of  the 
young  woman  in  black,  and  looked  searchingly  at  the 
face  beneath  the  broad-brimmed  hat  and  veil.  At 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       351 

once  he  made  an  undignified  jump  from  the  car- 
riage step  and  was  walking  rapidly  after  the  two 
girls. 

He  caught  up  with  them  and  looked  sharply  as  he 
passed ;  the  next  instant  he  had  stopped  right  in  front 
of  them. 

"Comtesse  Helene !"  he  exclaimed,  "you  here  ?" 

Helene  shot  a  frightened  look  at  the  man  before 
them. 

"Mr.  Morton!"  The  silvery  voice  bathed  him  in 
beatific  memories.  He  saw  nothing  but  the  girl;  nay, 
it  may  be  doubted  if  he  even  saw  her.  He  had  taken 
the  little  hand  which  had  been  involuntarily  stretched 
out  to  him  and  he  now  held  it  firmly  as  though  fear- 
ful it  might  slip  away  from  him,  his  face  mirrored  with 
his  emotions.  The  rest  of  creation  did  not  exist;  it 
contained  but  this  girl  and  himself. 

"Comtesse  Helene — for  once  fortune  has  favored 
me — I  am  so  glad,  so  glad."  He  could  find  no  other 
words. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Morton,  I  wrote  you  last  night  and  mailed 
the  letter  this  morning.  And  that  I  should  meet  you 
to-day  of  all  days!" 

"Pardon  me,  but  I  guess  you've  forgotten  me,"  in- 
terposed Margaret  in  her  driest  of  drawls.  "Won't 
you  introduce  me,  Helen?" 

John's  face  flushed  and  Helene  looked  prettily  em- 
barrassed. 

"Oh,  I  beg  your  pardon,  Margy,"  and  then  turn- 
ing to  John  smilingly,  she  said  slowly  and  distinctly: 
"Miss  Helen  Barton  has  the  honor  to  present  to 
Mr.  Morton  her  dear  friend  and  chum,  Miss  Margaret 
Fisher." 

Margaret  offered  hep  hand  with  somewhat  cold  re- 
serve. This  entrance  of  a  male  friend  into  her  shy 
ward's  acquaintance  was  both  unexpected  and  inex- 


352       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

plicable.  Mr.  Morton  looked  all  right — too  much  so, 
she  thought  with  a  tinge  of  resentment. 

Morton,  by  this  time,  had  regained  his  composure, 
and  shook  Margaret's  hand  heartily. 

"Now  that  we  have  been  properly  made  acquainted 
with  each  other,  may  I  inquire  where  you  ladies  are 
bound  for?  It  is  a  long  time  since  I  last  saw  Miss-er- 
Barton.  Have  you  had  luncheon?" 

No,  they  had  not.  And  then,  to  Margaret's  aston- 
ishment, the  timid,  ingenuous  Helene  immediately  ac- 
cepted the  offer  which  followed.  On  their  way  to  the 
hotel,  Morton  did  his  best  to  appear  calm  and  divided 
his  attentions  equally  between  the  two  girls.  When 
they  were  settled  comfortably  near  a  window  looking 
out  on  the  avenue  of  one  of  New  York's  famous  hos- 
telries,  Margaret  could  not  help  speculating  as  to  who 
this  man  was.  He  evidently  possessed  AH  Baba's 
countersign,  for  he  was  waited  on  most  assiduously. 
A  seat  at  this  particular  hotel  had  always  seemed  to 
her  to  be  the  reward  of  the  world's  elect.  She  glanced 
inquiringly  at  Helene,  who  was  all  unconscious  of 
what  was  passing  through  her  friend's  mind,  and  to 
Margaret's  increasing  wonder  Helene  was  taking  the 
whole  affair  as  if  a  luncheon  at  the  Waldorf  were  an 
everyday  occurrence.  With  the  utmost  sang-froid  she 
removed  her  gloves  and,  to  Morton's  delight,  the  pro- 
tecting veil.  Her  eyes  were  sparkling  with  a  light 
Margaret  had  never  before  seen  in  them.  Who  and 
what  was  this  Mr.  Morton?  She  was  becoming  really 
jealous  of  this  interloper.  She  remembered  that  Helen 
had  once  casually  referred  to  a  Mr.  Morton  she 
had  known  "in  the  old  country."  But  this  man  was 
unquestionably  an  American !  She  watched  him  closely 
and  noted  the  animation  in  look  and  tone  whenever 
he  spoke  to  Helen.  Then  she  remembered  that  on 
meeting  her  in  the  avenue  he  had  addressed  her  as 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       353 

"Countess."  What  did  he  mean  ?  Margaret  was  both 
puzzled  and  hurt. 

Morton  felt  a  restraint  in  himself  and  rightly  judged 
that  a  similar  feeling  existed  in  the  girls.  He  made 
an  effort  to  remove  it.  Turning  to  Margaret,  he  said : 
"I  cannot  tell  you,  Miss  Fisher,  how  glad  I  am  to  have 
met  Miss  Barton.  When  we  said  good-bye  to  each 
other  last  it  was  thousands  of  miles  from  here,  and  I 
suppose  we  both  find  it  difficult  to  realize  that  the  world 
is  a  very  small  place  after  all.  You  will,  therefore, 
pardon  me,  I  hope,  for  seeming  unattentive.  But  I 
promise  to  behave  better." 

Margery  at  once  saw  the  situation  now.  She 
guessed  they  would  have  many  things  to  say  to  each 
other  which  her  presence  prevented  them  discussing. 
"Two  is  company  and  three  is  a  crowd,"  she  said  to 
herself. 

Smiling  amiably  in  response  to  Morton's  explana- 
tion, she  turned  to  Helene  and  said : 

"Helen,  dear,  I'm  sure  you  and  Mr.  Morton  have 
much  to  say  to  each  other.  Now,  please,  don't  mind 
me.  I  am  going  to  devote  myself  to  the  good  things 
I  see  before  me,  and  then  I  can  enjoy  looking  at  the 
styles  of  the  women  passing  by  the  window.  This  is 
a  rare  treat  for  me." 

Helene  said  nothing,  but  a  tell-tale  blush  spoke  vol- 
umes. Morton  laughed  and  said  that  Miss  Fisher  was 
right ;  he'd  take  full  advantage  of  her  forbearance. 

Suiting  his  action  to  the  word  he  drew  his  chair 
more  closely  to  Helene,  and  before  many  minutes  had 
passed  the  two  had  quite  forgotten  Margaret's  pres- 
ence. 

"I  have  kept  my  promise,  Mr.  Morton.  I  sent  the 
letter  this  morning  and  it  would  have  reached  you  on 
Monday — the  first  day  of  autumn.  You  will  believe 
that  I  have  never  forgotten  your  kindness  to  me,  Mr. 


354       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Morton.  It  was,  indeed,  not  ingratitude  that  kept  me 
silent." 

"I  am  too  happy  to  think  of  finding  fault.  Now 
that  we  have  met  again,  I  shall  say  not  a  word  of 
censure.  You  are  looking,  very  well.  Ah,  Miss  Bar- 
ton, I  give  you  warning  that  you  won't  lose  me  again. 
To  think  that  you  should  have  been  in  New  York  for 
these  five  long  months  when  I  have  searched  the  con- 
tinent oi:  Europe  for  you !" 

"I  know  now,  Mr.  Morton,  that  it  was,  perhaps, 
wrong  of  me  not  to  have  communicated  with  you 
earlier.  But  I  am  very  happy  now." 

"I  cannot  tell  you  how  glad  I  am !" 

"I  have  been  very  content  of  late  in  my  independ- 
ence. It  makes  me  proud  to  be  able  to  say  that." 

"I  can  well  believe  it,"  responded  Morton  thought- 
fully. 

"But — Mr.  Morton — it  is  all  owing  to  Margy.  She 
was  and  still  is  my  good  angel.  I  don't  know  what  I 
should  have  done  without  her.  She  has  been  my  com- 
fort and  stay  and  the  most  patient  and  dearest  friend 
in  the  world." 

Helene  stretched  her  arm  across  the  table  and 
pressed  Margaret's  hand,  the  tears  filling  her  eyes. 
Margaret  blushed  and  stroked  Helene's  slender  fingers. 
Praise  always  called  up  her  innate  modesty  of  nature. 
"You  think  too  much  of  me,  darling,"  she  whispered, 
smiling  happily. 

Morton  looked  at  Margaret  keenly.  This  was  an 
unusual  woman,  he  thought,  as  he  noted  the  broad 
forehead  and  firm  yet  kindly  mouth.  He  would  not 
forget  her  kindness  to  the  orphaned  girl. 

During  the  meal  Margaret  kept  stealing  glances  at 
Helene.  She  could  scarcely  explain  the  nature  of  the 
change  she  now  saw.  This  erstwhile  quiet,  simple 
maiden  might  be  a  princess,  so  queenly  did  she  bear 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       355 

herself  and  so  beautiful  was  she  in  her  animation. 
"What  a  difference  a  man  makes!"  she  thought  bit- 
terly, "especially  if  he  is  the  right  man,"  she  added  as 
an  afterthought. 

The  luncheon  over  Morton  remembered  that  he 
ought  to  have  been  on  his  way  to  Tarrytown. 

"Will  you  excuse  me  for  a  moment,  ladies?  My 
mother  expects  me  home,  and  I  ought  to  send  word 
to  her  that  I  will  be  delayed.  Have  you  any  engage- 
ment for  this  evening,  Miss  Barton?" 

"No,  Mr.  Morton,"  Helene  replied,  "but  I  must  not 
keep  you  from  your  family  and  friends." 

"Miss  Barton,  I  have  been  in  great  good  luck  to-day, 
and  I  should  like  to  take  every  advantage  of  it.  Shall 
\ve  say  dinner  at  seven  and  the  theatre  after?  Help 
me,  Miss  Fisher,  won't  you?" 

Morton  was  longing  to  be  alone  with  Helene,  and 
as  he  did  not  quite  understand  the  relationship  which 
existed  between  the  two  girls,  he  put  the  question 
hoping  that  she  would  take  the  initiative.  He  was 
determined  not  to  part  from  Helene  until  he  had  had 
an  opportunity  to  hear  her  whole  story  from  her  own 
lips. 

Margaret's  practical  nature  saw  more  than  the  sur- 
face of  things  showed,  and  she  had  seen  sufficient  to 
know  that  she  was  de  trop — to  the  man,  at  any  rate. 

"Helene,  dear,"  she  said,  "you  have  had  enough  of 
me  for  one  day.  Make  your  plans  without  considering 
me.  I  expect  Mr.  Van  Dusen  this  evening,  so  that  I 
cannot  avail  myself  of  Mr.  Morton's  kind  invitation. 
You  go.  I  am  sure  you  and  he  must  have  a  great  deal 
to  talk  about.  Mr.  Morton,  let  me  thank  you  for  in- 
cluding me  in  your  invitation." 

Helene  seemed  somewhat  uneasy.  Before,  however, 
she  could  reply  to  Margaret's  suggestion,  she  heard 
Morton  say: 


356       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

"You  are  quite  right,  Miss  Fisher,  Miss  Barton  and 
I  have  a  great  many  things  to  talk  over.  You  are 
very  kind.  Am  I  to  have  the  pleasure,  Miss  Barton?" 

Helene  had  decided.  "I  shall  be  very  pleased  to  dine 
with  you,  Mr.  Morton ;  but  I  do  not  care  to  see  a  play 
for  some  time  yet."  Then  turning  to  Margaret  she 
asked :  "You  are  sure,  Margy,  you  don't  mind  ?" 

"Not  at  all,  my  dear.  Mr.  Morton,  I  have  acted 
as  guardian  to  Helen  for  the  past  five  months,  and 
have  been  very  strict,  as  you  see.  Perhaps  I  have 
been  selfish ;  but  Helen  has  been  nowhere  without  me. 
She  is  very  dear  to  me.  You  may,  therefore,  con- 
sider it  a  great  compliment  that  I  am  willing  to  place 
this  little  treasure  of  mine  in  your  care.  But  you  must 
promise  that  you  will  look  after  her,  won't  you?" 

"I  am  honored,  Miss  Fisher,  and  beg  to  assure  you 
that  I  deeply  appreciate  your  trust.  I  shall  take  your 
place  with  Miss  Barton."  Morton  smiled,  fully  ap- 
preciating this  unusual  anxiety  on  Miss  Fisher's  part. 

"Will  you  excuse  me  now,  for  a  few  minutes,  while 
I  'phone  to  my  mother?" 

Margaret  followed  him  with  her  eyes  as  Morton 
wound  his  way  between  the  tables.  Helene  sat  gazing 
dreamily  out  of  the  window  absorbed  in  her  thoughts. 
Margaret  turned  to  her  friend. 

"Well,  my  dear,  am  I  to  know  all  about  him  ?  I  am 
bursting  with  curiosity,  you  know;  but  don't  tell  me 
more  than  you  care  to." 

Helene  turned  her  clear,  honest  eyes  on  her  friend's 
face.  "There  is  not  very  much  to  tell,  Margy.  I 
met  Mr.  Morton  about  a  year  ago  under  unusual  cir- 
cumstances. He  was  a  friend  of  my  father's.  My 
father  died  since  then,  and  you  are  the  one  friend  I 
have  now.  Mr.  Morton  was  very  kind  to  me  at  the 
time,  and  I  believe  was  willing  to  assume  certain  re- 
sponsibilites  on  my  behalf,  for  my  father's  sake.  I 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       357 

promised  that  I  would  let  him  know  this  autumn  how 
I  had  fared,  and  it  was  only  this  morning  that  I  sent 
him  the  letter  which  he  has  not  yet  received.  I  shall 
tell  him  now  all  that  lias  happened  to  me,  and  he  may 
be  able  to  give  me  news  of  old  friends  abroad.  Did 
you  really  intend  to  go  out  with  Mr.  Van  Dusen?" 

"Yes,  dear.  I  was  going  to  tell  you  about  it,  and 
now  it  will  be  pleasant  for  both  of  us.  Your  Mr.  Mor- 
ton, Helen,  is  the  real  swell !" 

Helene  laughed.  "Yes,  I  suppose  that's  what  you'd 
call  him.  But  to  me  he  has  been  a  fine  friend — the 
best  I  have  had — except  you,  dear." 

"Well,  I  accept  the  compliment.  But — you  know 
what  the  old  song  says:  'A  girl's  best  friend  is  her 
lover.'  I  can  see,  Helen,  where  I  pass  out." 

"Oh,  Margy!"  she  exclaimed,  adjusting  her  veil 
quickly. 

Morton's  return  at  that  moment  ended  the  con- 
fidences between  the  girls.  He  was  now,  he  told  them, 
entirely  at  their  service.  It  was  then  arranged  that 
he  should  call  for  Helene  at  seven  o'clock  at  the  ad- 
dress given  him  by  Margaret. 

Helene's  hand  lingered  an  instant  in  Morton's  at 
parting,  and  as  he  saw  her  happy  face  he  knew  that 
he  was  welcome. 

Morton  drove  to  his  rooms.  Events  had  been  crowd- 
ing on  him  and  he  wanted  to  be  alone.  On  his  way 
he  stopped  at  a  florist's  and  ordered  flowers  to  be  sent 
to  the  house  in  Gramercy  Park. 

Once  in  his  room  he  drew  a  deep  chair  to  the 
window  and  after  lighting  a  cigar  sat  down  to  his 
thoughts. 

How  beautiful  she  was!  More  beautiful  than  even 
he  had  pictured  her  in  his  dreams.  This  evening  she 
would  tell  him  everything  and  explain  why  she  had 
kept  herself  away  from  him.  And  how  pleased  she 


358       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

had  been  to  see  him !  One  look  at  her  face  had  assured 
him  that  no  other  man  had  come  between  them.  She 
must  have  carried  out  her  intention  and  come  to  New 
York  to  work  for  her  living.  That  explained  Miss 
Fisher.  By  George,  that  woman  was  a  splendid  pro- 
tectress !  He  had  no  fault  to  find  with  her — not  in  the 
slightest.  Yes — he  must  put  off  his  Western  journey, 
now. 

John  rose  and  began  walking  the  room,  whistling 
and  smoking  by  turns,  smiling  happily.  His  valet  in 
the  next  room  could  hardly  believe  his  ears.  He  came 
obedient  to  a  summons  and  was  ordered  to  lay  out 
evening  clothes.  Mr.  Morton  would  stay  in  town  over 
Saturday  night.  What  had  come  over  his  master? 

John  ,had  told  his  mother  that  he  would  be  detained 
in  town  that  night  and  promised  to  be  with  her  for 
luncheon  the  next  day.  He  had  laughed  to  himself 
as  he  thought  of  the  guessing  match  that  would  fol- 
low, between  mother  and  daughter.  Ah,  if  they  only 
knew! 

He  dressed  with  great  care  and  took  a  hansom, 
thinking  it  would  be  more  fitting  than  his  own  more 
pretentious  carriage,  and  as  he  drove  down  the  avenue 
he  could  not  forbear  smiling  at  his  thought — he  was 
just  like  any  ordinary  young  "chap"  calling  on  his 

"best  girl." 
********* 

Margaret  and  Helene,  after  leaving  Morton  and  fin- 
ishing their  shopping,  arrived  home,  their  arms  filled 
with  packages,  most  happily  expectant.  An  evening 
such  as  this  promised  to  be  to  each  of  them  was  a 
rare  occasion.  Helene  had  been  afraid  that  Margaret 
would  question  her  further,  but  to  her  surprise  and  re- 
lief, she  made  no  reference  to  Mr.  Morton. 

"I  think,  Helen,  dear,  you  must  let  me  help  to  dress 
your  hair,"  she  said  quietly,  "your  hat  will  sit  better." 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       359 

Helena  sensed  a  slight  coldness  in  her  friend;  she 
came  over  to  Margaret  and  seating  herself  on  the  arm 
of  her  chair,  cuddled  up  to  her. 

"Margy,  dear,  you  are  not  disapproving,  are  you? 
Do  you  think  I  ought  not  to  dine  with  Mr.  Morton 
this  evening?" 

Margaret  held  her  tight  and  patted  her  shoulder 
affectionately. 

"You  mustn't  mind  me,  dearie ;  I  suppose  I'm  a  jeal- 
ous old  thing.  It's  perfectly  right  to  go  out  with  Mr. 
Morton,  and  I'm  glad  you  are  going.  I've  been  sel- 
fish; you'd  get  quiet  rusty  if  you  allowed  me  to  mo- 
nopolize you.  There  now,  little  girl,  hurry  and  get 
dressed  and  when  you  are  ready  call  me."  And  Mar- 
garet kissed  her  affectionately. 

Helene  knew  that  her  friend  had  only  her  good  at 
heart  and  thought  it  wisest  to  say  nothing  more.  She 
went  to  her  room,  though  not  to  dress.  Her  mind  had 
been  so  disturbed  by  the  sudden  meeting  with  Morton 
and  she  was  so  excited  over  it,  that  she  felt  she  must 
regain  her  composure.  She  took  out  her  box  of  treas- 
ures containing  the  dried  leaves  of  flowers  and  a  few 
letters  and  sat  fingering  them  thoughtfully.  What 
passed  through  her  mind  it  would  be  too  curious  to 
inquire.  The  thoughts  of  a  girl  are  sacred  to  herself. 
All  we  need  to  know  is  that  she  did  not  sit  long,  but 
stole  quietly  to  the  mirror  and  looked  earnestly  at  her 
face  and  then  with  a  sigh  of  satisfaction,  turned  away 
with  a  happy  smile. 

Margaret,  in  her  room,  could  hear  her  humming  a 
pretty  melody,  the  words  of  which  she  could  not  make 
out;  but,  certainly,  they  were  not  those  of  a  dirge. 
When  she  responded  to  Helene's  call  she  found  her 
ready  and  saw  spread  on  the  bed  the  latest  acquisi- 
tion— a  gray  silk  dress.  Margaret  pretended  not  to 
notice  it. 


360       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

Indifferently  at  first  she  began  her  task  of  dressing 
Helene's  hair;  but  gradually  the  feel  of  the  silken 
tresses,  almost  human  in  their  touch,  brought  her  back 
to  her  true  self.  With  a  sudden  movement  she  leaned 
forward  and  kissing  the  cheek  before  her,  whispered : 
"I  am  so  glad  you  are  going  to  wear  that  dress — you 
must  look  your  prettiest  to-night." 

Helene  gave  her  a  glad  look  and  smiled.  The  two 
were  once  again  dear  friends  and  each  felt  the  happier 
for  it. 

Mrs.  Kane  came  in  bearing  two  boxes  of  flowers. 
"From  Thornley's,"  she  cried,  "we  sure  have  some 
swell  admirers,  haven't  we?"  Her  face  was  beaming. 
Not  for  anything  would  she  have  foregone  the  pleasure 
of  bringing  in  the  flowers.  She  also  saw  the  dress  and 
catching  Margaret's  eye  she  gave  her  a  meaning  look. 
How  quickly  women  seize  at  the  little  straws  floating 
on  the  swift  current! 

The  box  addressed  "Miss  Barton"  contained  some 
magnificent  roses  on  long  stems.  Margaret  gave  an 
exclamation  of  admiration.  .  Then  taking  out  a  large 
bouquet  of  violets  she  held  them  out  to  Helene :  "To 
match  your  eyes,  my  dear,"  she  laughingly  remarked, 
with  a  low  curtsey. 

At  last  both  were  ready  to  their  mutual  satisfac- 
tion, though  not  before  Margaret  had  made  a  care- 
ful survey  of  Helene  from  all  sides  to  make  certain 
that  she  had  received  the  finishing  touches  that  would 
heighten  her  darling's  charms.  Then  she  had  to  leave, 
because  Mr.  Van  Dusen  had  arrived  and  was  waiting 
for  her  in  the  parlor. 

The  Mr.  Van  Dusen  who  had  now  become  a  regu- 
lar frequenter  at  the  Kane  boarding-house  was  a  dif- 
ferent gentleman  from  the  dapper  young  man  of  the 
summer.  His  visits  to  Margaret  had  become  the  talk 
of  the  table.  Helene,  however,  was  the  only  one  who 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       361 

seemed  to  see  nothing  of  a  special  purpose  in  his  calls. 
She  always  took  him  as  a  matter  of  course.  Under 
Margaret's  influence,  no  doubt,  Van  Dusen's  manner 
had  lost  its  flippancy  and  air  of  condescension.  He 
had  gained  both  in  reserve  and  tact,  so  much  so,  in- 
deed, that  in  his  intercourse  with  Margaret,  it  was  he 
who  played  the  part  of  the  serious  friend  and  she  that 
of  the  light-hearted  tease.  To  see  them  as  they  sat 
in  the  parlor  one  would  have  said  that  Van  Dusen  was 
undoubtedly  a  man  of  experience  and  good  sense. 

Margaret  had  not  failed  to  notice  the  improvement. 
She  was  glad  of  the  change  and  her  lightness  of  man- 
ner may  have  been  part  of  her  strategy  to  bring  out 
the  stronger  nature  she  knew  he  possessed.  She 
told  him  of  her  meeting  with  Helene's  friend  and  the 
luncheon  at  the  Waldorf. 

"Who  was  he?"  inquired  Van  Dusen  somewhat 
anxiously. 

"Oh,  a  very  handsome  man,  evidently  rich,  and 
looked  like  a  Westerner  and  with  the  nicest  manners 
and  voice.  He  is  a — Mr.  Morton." 

"Oh,  how  did  he  come  to  know  Miss  Barton?" 

"They  met  abroad  some  time  ago.  He  didn't  seem 
sure  of  her  name,  because  he  called  her  by  a  word  that 
sounded  like  Countess.  What  do  you  make  of  it?  I 
didn't  like  to  ask  Helene  more  than  she  cared  to  tell 
me." 

Van  Dusen  sat  looking  down  thoughtfully. 

"You  know,"  he  said  after  a  pause,  "I  always  had 
an  idea  that  Miss  Barton  was  not  any  ordinary  young 
woman.  She  is  so  different,  don't  you  know.  I'll 
wager  she's  some  aristocrat.  Poor  girl,  she  must  have 
gone  through  great  trouble.  Did  she  show  any  sign 
of  anxiety  when  he  spoke  to  her?" 

"No,  on  the  contrary,  she  was  very  surprised  and 
then  very  pleased.  She  kept  on  blushing  whenever  he 
24 


362       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

spoke  to  her — and  he — well  he  sat  looking  at  her  as  if 
he  couldn't  take  his  eyes  off  her  face.  I  was  afraid 
he'd  forget  himself  and  begin  making  love  to  her  right 
in  the  restaurant.  If  ever  a  man  was  in  love  with  a 
girl  that  Mr.  Morton  is  with  Helene,  or  I  don't  know 
anything  about  men." 

"What's  Mr.  Morton's  business,  do  you  know?" 

"No,  I  don't,  and  I  believe  Helen  doesn't  know 
either.  He's  a  gentleman,  there's  no  doubt  about  that, 
and  as  good-looking  as  they  make  'em.  His  face  seems 
familiar  as  if  I  had  seen  him  before;  but  I  can't  place 
him." 

"Are  you  thinking  of  a  portrait  of  a  Mr.  Morton 
you  saw  in  the  newspapers,  Miss  Margaret?" 

Margaret  stared  at  him  for  a  moment  and  then  ex- 
claimed : 

"That's  it !  You  struck  it !  That's  just  where  I  did 
see  that  face.  It's  a  strong  face  with  a  slightly  droop- 
ing mustache  and  gray  eyes  so  calm  that  you  feel 
small  as  you  look  into  them.  That's  the  very  man! 
Who  is  he?" 

"Well,"  replied  Van  Dusen,  "if  he's  the  Mr.  Mor- 
ton whose  portrait  was  in  the  'Tribune'  the  other  day, 
he's  John  R.  Morton  of  Cleveland." 

"Who  is  he?" 

"You  don't  mean  to  tell  me  you've  never  heard  of 
him?" 

"No,  I  never  did,  and  I  am  sure  Helen  never  reads 
the  papers  carefully  enough  to  have  seen  it.  But  don't 
look  so  surprised  at  me — who  is  he — some  criminal 
or  a  politician?" 

"Oh,  Lord,"  groaned  Van  Dusen,  "this  beats  any- 
thing I  ever  heard.  Why,  John  R.  Morton  is  the  only 
son  and  successor  of  old  Dan  Morton ;  he's  just  the  big- 
gest man  in  New  York — and  some  man!  You  know 
my  governor  is  no  piker  when  it  comes  to  dollars,  but 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       363 

Morton — why  all  the  blue  bloods  of  New  York  are 
not  in  the  same  class  with  him.  He  could  buy  and  sell 
them  all  without  the  wink  of  an  eyelash.  I've  met  him 
at  the  Metropolitan  Club  this  summer.  He's  a  biggish 
fellow,  about  33,  a  couple  of  inches  shorter  than  I  am. 
Talks  like  a  professor,  gentle  and  quiet.  By  George! 
I  remember  now.  There  was  something  in  the  papers 
about  his  being  mixed  up  in  some  foreign  business  with 
revolutions  and  princesses.  I  shouldn't  be  surprised  if 
he's  the  man.  No  wonder  Miss  Barton  turned  me 
down.  Why,  John  Morton  is  the  greatest  catch  in 
the  country  and  as  fine  a  fellow  as  ever  stood  in  shoe 
leather,  so  they  say." 

Margaret  suddenly  realized  that  she  had  not  been 
wise  to  open  the  conversation  on  a  matter  which  con- 
cerned Helene  alone.  Indeed,  she  had  done  wrong,  she 
felt,  especially  as  she  had  not  pressed  Helene  herself 
for  information.  She  was  deeply  vexed  at  her  indis- 
cretion. 

"Excuse  me,  a  moment,  Mr.  Van  Dusen,"  she  said 
quickly,  "while  I  get  my  coat.  I  shall  not  be  long. 
Helen  will  not  be  down  this  evening." 

Without  waiting  she  walked  rapidly  out  of  the 
room.  The  door  closed  behind  her,  she  became  at  once 
thoughtful.  No — she  would  say  nothing  to  Helen  of 
what  she  had  been  told.  Besides,  she  did  not  know 
how  to  broach  the  subject  without  betraying  herself. 
She  put  on  her  coat  and  opening  Helene's  door  she 
looked  in  and  called  out  smilingly :  "I'll  sit  up  for  you, 
dear."  Before  Helene  could  reply  the  door  had  been 
closed  and  Margaret  was  running  down  the  stairs. 

Helene  heard  the  front  door  slam  and  knew  that 
she  would  have  to  face  the  coming  ordeal  alone.  How 
she  dreaded  the  announcement  of  Mr.  Morton's  ar- 
rival! Mrs.  Kane  would  draw  her  own  conclusion 
immediately.  The  new  dress,  the  flowers,  the  elabo- 


364       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

rate  preparations — well,  Mrs.  Kane  must  think  what 
she  liked!  It  could  not  be  helped  now.  To-morrow 
would  be  the  twenty-first  of  September — the  last  day 
of  summer.  She  glanced  at  the  royal  roses  crowding1 
the  vase,  their  heads  proudly  erect  as  if  in  challenge  to 
the  world.  Then  her  eyes  fell  on  the  sweet  purple  of 
the  violets  on  the  table — "The  last  rose  of  summer," 
she  murmured ;  "but  the  violet  is  blue — true  blue." 

Her  watch  told  her  that  it  was  still  some  minutes 
before  the  time.  She  must  not  betray  any  anxiety  or 
show  any  undue  haste.  She  would  wait  .  .  .  ah — 
the  electric  bell  was  ringing.  A  deep  voice,  his  voice, 
reached  her  above  the  hum  of  talk — then  quick  steps 
ascending  and  a  knock  at  her  door  brought  Nora, 
the  maid. 

"Miss  Barton,  Mr.  Morton  is  waiting  in  the  parlor." 


CHAPTER   XXVIII 

BRILLIANT  lights  flooded  the  gallery  adjacent 
to  the  sumptuous  dining-room  from  which 
it  was  separated  by  a  balustrade  of  palms. 
The  tables  were  occupied  by  men  in  sombre  evening 
dress,  setting  off  to  greater  advantage  the  bright  cos- 
tumes of  the  ladies  who  sat  with  them.  The  air  palpi- 
tated with  the  hum  of  talk,  the  peals  of  light  laugh- 
ter, the  clinking  of  silver  and  glass  and  the  music  of 
a  string  orchestra.  The  perfumes  of  flowers,  the 
odors  of  viands  and  the  scent  of  tobacco  smoke  rose 
like  the  incense  from  a  burnt-offering.  The  place  was 
typical  of  one  of  the  more  select  of  the  restaurants 
in  the  best  sections  of  New  York. 

At  a  small  table  sat  Helene  and  Morton  facing  each 
other.  Helene's  face  was  radiant  with  a  happiness 
that  was  reflected  from  Morton's  eyes  as  he  gazed  at 
her — and  her  only.  Morton  had  quite  forgotten  the 
months  of  anxiety  of  the  spring  and  summer,  he  had 
cast  into  oblivion  the  many  questions  he  had  intended 
to  ask.  It  was  enough  for  him  that  she  was  there, 
facing  him,  happy  and  her  dear  self  again.  He  was 
wishing  he  could  tell  her  all  he  felt  and  all  he  could 
not  repress  in  his  face.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  however, 
he  was  conversing  with  her  just  as  any  man  would  do 
who  might  be  dining  at  Berry's  with  a  lady.  But  he 
was  not  conscious  of  the  power  habit  gave  him  to  hide 
his  emotions. 

Helene's  modest  frock  was  quite  in  contrast  to  the 
costly  and  elaborate  gowns  of  the  ladies  near  her. 
Those  of  the  sisterhood  who  sent  occasional  searching 

365 


366       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

glances  at  her  wished  they  had  the  courage  to  wear  so 
simple  a  dress  and  to  look  so  beautiful  in  it.  The 
men  eyed  her  in  open  admiration,  and  the  waiters  evi- 
dently were  of  the  same  opinion,  for  they  were  most 
deferential  and  suave  to  the  slender  girl  in  dove  gray 
with  the  violets  in  her  corsage. 

To  Morton  the  fresh  beauty  of  Helene  grew  so 
overpowering  in  its  insistency  that  he  put  his  feelings 
into  words  before  he  knew  what  he  was  saying: 
"You  are  bewitching,  to-night,  Comtesse,"  he 
breathed,  "wonderfully  so." 

Helene's  face  suffused  with  blushes  while  she  gave 
him  a  quick  look  of  surprise;  but  the  next  moment 
she  smiled  and  her  smile  was  like  a  ray  of  sunlight 
through  a  rift  in  the  clouds. 

"The  dress  is  pretty,  is  it  not?"  she  said.  "I  am 
glad  now  I  had  the  courage  to  wear  it.  I  did  not 
expect  you  would  take  me  to  so  fashionable  a  place  as 
this  seems  to  be." 

Morton  said  nothing,  but  looked  volumes.  He  dared 
not  to  say  any  more;  he  dreaded  a  return  of  shyness 
and  timidity  in  her,  and  yet  he  hoped  it  would  not 
pass  away.  He  saw  the  two  pretty  little  hands  rest- 
ing flower-like  on  the  white  damask,  fingering  a  fork, 
and  an  impulse  came  over  him  to  take  them  in  his  own 
and  tell  her  there  and  then,  of  his  love  and  his  heart's 
desires.  But  the  primitive  man  in  him  held  him  back ; 
it  was  so  delightful  to  watch  the  ebb  and  flow  of  shy 
reserve  and  unconscious  expression  in  the  sweet 
mobile  face.  What  is  it  in  the  human  male  that 
prompts  him  to  seek  this  peculiar  pleasure,  as  of  a 
cat  playing  with  a,  mouse?  Morton  would  have  been 
highly  indignant  had  any  one  dared  so  to  characterize 
his  attitude  at  this  moment  and  he  would  have  been 
justified,  because  he  was  as  much  the  victim  as  the 
victimizer — he  was  simply  obeying  the  compulsion  of 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       367 

the  moment,  enjoying  in  anticipation  the  pleasure  that 
he  somehow  was  convinced  the  future  held  for  him. 

The  current  of  his  emotions  must  have  leaked 
through  some  faulty  insulation  and  induced  a  cor- 
responding current  in  Helene,  for  she  suddenly  be- 
came reserved  and  shy  again.  She  sought  refuge  in 
a  question. 

"Shall  I  tell  you  of  my  adventures  after  I  left  Wei- 
mar?" she  said. 

The  waiter  had  deposited  two  high-stemmed  glasses 
filled  with  a  pale  liquid  before  them. 

"I  am  most  anxious  to  hear  everything,"  he  said; 
"but  first  let  us  drink  to  good  luck." 

He  raised  his  glass  and  watched  her  take  a  dainty 
sip  of  the  aperitif  and  then  with  a  puzzled  expression 
replace  the  glass  on  the  table. 

"Your  very  good  health,  Comtesse  Helene,"  he  said, 
"and  may  we  always  be  good  friends,"  and  emptied 
his  glass. 

The  orchestra  had  struck  up  a  new  piece.  She  lis- 
tended  intently  for  a  moment  to  the  first  few  bars, 
and  then  her  face  lightened  and  the  tears  came  to  her 
eyes. 

"Do  you  hear,  Mr.  Morton,  do  you  remember,  it's 
'The  Blue  Danube/ ' 

"Yes,  I  remember  well.  We  heard  it  at  the  Bristol 
in  Vienna  on  the  day  I  left  for  home,"  he  whispered 
back  hastily,  overcome  with  the  emotion  born  of  the 
recollection.  The  next  moment,  however,  he  was-  the 
courtly  host  again.  It  was  the  present,  not  the  past, 
that  concerned  him  just  now. 

"And  now,  Miss  Helene,  may  I  hear  your  story?" 

At  first  hesitatingly,  then  somewhat  more  fluently 
and  occasionally  with  a  rush  of  words,  she  began  and 
continued  the  story  we  know.  When  she  came  to  the 
incident  with  the  Frau  Professor  in  Hanover,  she 


368       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

scarcely  knew  how  to  relate  it  without  conveying  a 
false  impression  about  herself  to  Morton.  But  he 
realized  the  situation  without  her  assistance. 

"I  think  I  can  fully  appreciate  the  Frau  Professor's 
motives,"  he  said,  "the  poor  woman,  worried  and  har- 
rassed  by  cares,  had  become  soured  by  her  life.  Many 
other  women  would  have  been  only  too  glad  to  avail 
themselves  of  your  services;  but  you  know,  Miss 
Helene,  Germany  demands  diplomas  and  references 
more  than  she  does  ability.  But  go  on  with  your 
tale." 

Helene  then  told  of  her  meeting  with  Margaret 
Fisher  and  told  it  so  enthusiastically  that  she  forgot 
the  excellent  food  before  her.  Then  came  the  voyage 
to  America  and  her  adventures  in  New  York.  When 
she  had  finished,  she  looked  at  Morton,  searching  his 
face  for  a  sign  of  interest  or  reproach ;  but  what  she 
saw  there  made  her  cast  her  eyes  down  quickly. 

"Do  you  not  think  I  did  right,  Mr.  Morton,  in 
coming  to  America?"  she  asked,  playing  with  the  ice 
before  her,  "or  did  I  act  too  hastily  ?"  There  was  a 
pleading  note  in  her  voice.  She  had  not  intended  to 
say  the  words,  but  her  confusion  consequent  on  seeing 
the  expression  in  Morton's  face  threw  her  back  on  an 
instinct  which  women  possess  and  which  they  exercise 
in  self-protection,  the  instinct  which  appeals  to  the 
man  and  acknowledges  his  superiority. 

Morton  did  not  reply  at  once,  but  busied  himself 
slowly  pouring  out  the  coffee — the  one  menial  office 
a  man  permits  himself  at  a  dinner-table — and  took  the 
time  thus  granted  him  to  reflect  on  what  he  should 
say.  This  was  the  point  which  he  had  been  hoping  to 
reach  in  order  to  discover  her  real  motives. 

"Under  the  circumstances,  Miss  Helene,"  he  said, 
"I  think  I  would  have  acted  as  you  did.  But  why  the 
secrecy  towards  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tyler,  both  of  whom 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       369 

had  become  greatly  attached  to  you?  And  why  did 
you  not  let  me  know?  Surely  we  had  done  nothing 
to  deserve  your  displeasure!  Ah,  Miss  Helene,  how 
I  searched  for  you  and  scoured  the  most  unlikely 
places  in  my  efforts  to  find  you!  Why  did  you  do 
it?" 

Morton's  face  expressed  his  grievance  and  he  could 
not  repress  a  slight  tremor  in  his  voice. 

Helene  had  become  white  at  his  words  of  reproach. 
She  struggled  with  herself  to  regain  composure  and 
find  a  fitting  answer.  About  them  everything  had 
become  suddenly  quiet  and  she  felt  as  if  everybody  in 
the  room  were  looking  at  them.  For  an  instant  she 
gave  a  frightened  glance  around  to  see  if  her  feelings 
had  been  justified;  but  she  found  the  same  people 
there,  all  absolutely  unconscious  of  her.  Imme- 
diately she  realized  that  the  place  was  her  best  pro- 
tection. Alone  with  him  she  would  have  confessed 
herself — here,  in  the  crowd,  she  could  tell  him  only 
what  she  judged  proper. 

"Do  you  remember,  Mr.  Morton,  that  we  had 
agreed  to  wait  until  the  autumn?  To-night  is  still 
summer — my  dress  and  the  lovely  violets  bear  witness 
to  that.  Why  should  we  not  enjoy  the  season  while  it 
is  still  with  us  ?  This  is  my  first  dinner  en  fete — will 
you  not  allow  me  to  taste  its  pleasure  to  the  full  with- 
out scolding  me?  If  I  have  been  naughty,  be  kind  to- 
night, mon  chevalier!' 

She  breathed  the  last  two  words  and  looked  at  him 
pleadingly,  her  lips  tremulous,  the  blue  eyes  shining. 
Without  saying  a  word,  Morton  bent  over  and  kissed 
the  hand  on  the  table. 

"My  dear  child,"  his  voice  was  husky  with  emo- 
tion, "I  am  a  brute.  Of  course,  it  shall  be  as  you 
say.  And,  after  all,  what  does  anything  matter?  You 
are  here,  safe  and  well,  and  I — I  am  fortune's,  favor- 


3/0       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

ite  in  the  privilege  you  have  extended  to  me  this  even- 
ing. To-night,  as  you  have  said,  is  still  summer.  I 
shall  match  the  sunshine  in  your  eyes  with  the  warm 
friendship  in  my  heart." 

"Thank  you,  dear  friend,"  whispered  Helefne  with 
drooping  lashes. 

"And  to-morrow,  Miss  Helene,  is  another  summer's 
day.  Will  you  not  give  me  a  second  opportunity  to  act 
as  your  escort?  Let  me  take  you  to  our  home  in 
Tarrytown.  My  mother  will  welcome  you,  and  you 
and  Ruth — do  you  remember  my  little  sister? — you 
two  can  roam  as  you  please  in  the  park  and  woods. 
It  promises  to  be  a  beautiful  day.  Will  you  come?" 

"You  are  very  kind,  Mr.  Morton.  I  don't  know 
what  to  say.  I  have  thought  of  your  sister  with  the 
pretty  name,  very  often.  Does  she  know  of  my  exist- 
ence ?" 

How  utterly  different  is  the  trend  of  women's  minds 
from  men's,  thought  Morton.  He  had  not  dared  to 
bare  his  soul  even  to  Ruth,  and  yet  Helene  took  it 
for  granted  that  he  had  spoken  of  her,  and  she  was, 
perhaps,  speculating  at  this  very  moment,  if  his  de- 
scription of  her  had  been  favorable. 

"I  want  you  to  be  my  surprise  to  them,  Miss 
Helene,  if  you  will.  You  have  become  so  thoroughly 
Americanized  that  I  doubt  if  my  mother  will  guess  at 
your  identity,  though  she  knows  I  met  you  in  Europe. 
But  Ruth  knows  nothing,  and  she  will  throw  her 
slang  at  you  as  she  would  at  any  New  York  girl  she 
knows.  So  permit  me  to  introduce  you  merely  as  a 
friend  without  any  further  explanations." 

"Why,  Mr.  Morton,  they  will  know  immediately  I 
am  a  foreigner — my  first  words  will  tell  the  tale — 
they  always  do.  Still,  I  will  accept  your  invitation 
gladly." 

"Thank  you,"  replied  Morton  simply. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       371 

"Won't  you  tell  me  about  your  mother  and  sister?" 
Helene  asked  shyly. 

Morton  laughed ;  the  question  was  a  natural  one  for 
one  girl  to  put  to  another,  but  to  him,  a  man,  it  was  a 
puzzling  one  to  answer.  However,  he  entered  into  the 
spirit  of  her  curiosity  and  told  her  what  he  thought 
would  interest  her.  Helene  had  become  quite  ani- 
mated now,  and  Morton  enjoyed  keenly  watching  the 
sweet  play  of  her  features,  the  dainty  gestures  of  her 
little  hands,  so  slender  and  soft  and  dimpled,  as  he 
told  her  of  his  home  life  in  his  quiet  unassuming  man- 
ner. His  eyes  kept  looking  at  the  finger  which  he 
was  hoping  some  day  to  adorn. 

"Is  it  not  getting  late,  Mr.  Morton?"  Helene' s 
voice  broke  in  on  his  thoughts  with  a  seeming  sud- 
denness that  startled  him.  "Margy  will  be  waiting 
for  me,  and  I  must  not  keep  her  up  late.  If  I  abuse 
my  present  privilege,  she'll  not  let  me  go  another  time. 
Margy  is  very  strict,  you  know.  Sometimes  I  think 
she  is  jealous.  Oh,  but  we've  been  so  happy  together, 
and  she's  been  so  good  and  so  patient.  I  can  never 
hope  to  repay  her." 

"Yes,  Miss  Fisher  is  a  fine  young  woman,"  he  said. 
"It  was  a  Providence  that  sent  her  to  you." 

To  himself  he  thought  that  if  the  buxom  Margaret 
were  his  only  rival,  he  could  afford  to  be  gracious. 
And  as  for  her  jealousy — well — he  could  well  under- 
stand that. 

"Won't  you  ask  Margaret  to  come  with  me,  Mr. 
Morton  ?" 

"I  shall  willingly  do  so,  if  you  wish,"  he  replied 
with  a  slight  dropping  of  his  voice ;  "but  if  you  came 
alone  it  would  fit  in  better  with  our  plan." 

Morton  thought  he  saw  a  threatening  cloud  in  the 
distance.  "Go  slow,  old  man,  go  slow,"  he  said  to 
himself,  "let  her  do  the  talking." 


372       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

To  his  surprise,  however,  she  dropped  the  subject. 

"When  do  we  start  ?"  she  asked. 

"There's  a  good  train  at  9 140.  Will  it  be  too  early 
if  I  call  for  you  a  little  after  nine?" 

"Oh,  no,  we  breakfast  early  on  Sunday.  Shall  we 
go  now,  Mr.  Morton?" 

Morton  settled  the  bill  and  the  two  left  followed  by 
the  admiring  glances  of  the  late  diners  in  the  room. 
John's  vanity  had  been  suppressed  from  an  early  day ; 
his  training  and  habit  of  mind  had  made  him  indif- 
ferent to  what  people  might  say  of  him.  But  as  he 
walked  across  the  spacious  salon  he  could  not  help 
noticing  the  looks  sent  in  Helene's  direction,  and 
felt  quite  proud.  Yes,  the  girl  was  worth  admiring, 
he  said  to  himself. 

The  fairy  of  the  afternoon  must  have  been  near  them 
all  the  time,  for  in  spite  of  the  salaaming  manager  at 
the  exit  and  the  cry  of  "Cab,  sir?"  from  a  waiting 
driver,  Morton  was  compelled  to  turn  his  head  away 
and  look  up  at  the  big  moon  floating  in  the  spangled 
blackness  of  the  gorge's  roof.  A  voice  seemed  to 
whisper  to  him :  "Make  hay  while  the  moon  shines." 
Instantly  he  had  taken  Helene  by  the  arm  and  though 
his  heart  beat  within  him  he  said,  in  a  most  matter-of- 
fact  tone:  "Shall  we  walk?  It's  a  delightful  even- 
ing." 

Of  a  certainty  the  fairy  was  at  work;  for  the  cool 
air  was  laden  with  the  scent  of  the  meadows  across 
the  river  and  touched  with  the  dew  distilled  of  youth's 
innocent  hearts.  Margaret  was  forgotten,  the  night 
was  bathed  in  beauty  and  the  bell  of  a  neighboring 
clock  lost  one  of  its  strokes  in  the  reverberating 
sounds  from  the  canon's  sky-scrapered  sides. 

It  is  good  to  be  young  and  to  be  pure  in  heart; 
for  then  we  stand  well  in  the  esteem  of  the  fairies  of 
our  land.  Morton  trembled  at  the  touch  of  Helene's 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       373 

arm  as  he  walked  by  her  side,  breathing-  in  the  cool, 
scented  breeze,  and  realized,  for  the  first  time  in  his 
life,  that  he  was,  indeed,  rich. 

When  they  arrived  at  the  shadowed  doorway  of  the 
boarding-house,  Helene  gave  a  quick  look  upward 
and  saw  a  light  in  the  window  of  her  sitting-room. 
She  felt  guilty  and  a  little  afraid.  John  stood  for  a 
moment,  hat  in  hand,  and  took  the  dear  hand  in  his 
own  warm,  friendly  grip.  Then  bowing  deeply  he 
touched  it  with  his  lips. 

"Good  night,  Miss  Helene,  and  pleasant  dreams  at- 
tend you.  I  shall  call  in  the  morning." 

"Good  night,  Mr.  Morton,  and  thank  you  for  a 
most  enjoyable  evening.  I  hope  these  violets  will 
keep.  I  should  like  to  wear  them  to-morrow." 

Morton  smiled  and  watched  her  go  up  the  steps. 
The  door  opened.  Helene  turned  to  the  still  waiting 
man  standing  bareheaded  in  the  moonlight. 

"Good  night,  Mr.  Morton,"  she  cried  in  her  happy 
voice. 

"Good  night,  Miss  Barton,"  but  his  words  were 
drowned  in  the  sound  of  the  closing  door. 

He  looked  up  at  the  light  in  her  window  for  a 
moment  and  then,  replacing  his  hat,  walked  slowly 
away. 

Helene  tripped  up  the  stairs  rapidly  and  almost 
rushed  into  the  sitting-room  ready  with  an  explana- 
tion to  Margaret  for  her  late  return ;  but  although  the 
light  was  brightly  burning,  no  Margaret  was  there. 
She  looked  into  the  bedroom  but  she  was  not  there 
either.  Where  was  she?  What  had  detained  her? 
It  was  so  unusual  for  her  not  to  keep  her  word.  Well, 
she  would  wait  until  she  arrived.  The  soft  arm-chair 
was  inviting  and  Helene  was  not  sorry  to  be  alone 
and  dream  over  the  wonderful  events  of  this  wonder- 
ful day. 


374       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

But  where  was  Margery?  Ah,  that  is  another 
story.  Shortly  after  leaving  the  boarding-house,  she 
and  Van  Dusen  were  comfortably  seated  at  al  table  in 
a  restaurant  very  similar  to  the  one  in  which  Helene 
and  Morton  had  spent  such  intimate  hours.  Miss 
Fisher,  the  buxom  damsel,  and  Van  Dusen,  the  gilded 
youth  of  Gotham's  pride,  may  not  have  appeared  to 
the  ordinary  eye  as  fit  subjects  for  romance,  but  the 
ordinary  eye  is  ordinary  just  because  it  does  not  see 
below  the  surface  of  things  and  people.  We,  who  are 
not  ordinary,  see  more  deeply  and  know  better, 
which  is  our  reason  for  being  present  at  this  second 
dinner  also. 

Van  Dusen  had  evidently  made  up  his  mind,  though 
it  would  seem  he  lacked  somewhat  of  courage.  He 
had  had  his  cocktail  and  not  a  few  glasses  of  wine. 
Margaret  had  not  failed  to  notice  his  nervousness 
and  the  frequency  with  which  he  refilled  his  glass,  but 
she  said  nothing  and  tried  to  look  unconcerned.  She 
was  herself  nervous;  her  usual  self-possession  and 
poise  seemed  to  have  left  her.  She  had  tried  on  pre- 
vious occasions  to  restrain  him  but  to-night  he  was 
more  than  usually  reckless. 

As  the  wine  began  mounting  to  his  head,  he  be- 
came more  and  more  sentimental  and  more  and  more 
talkative,  and  unbosomed  himself  to  her  of  his  hopes 
and  aspirations.  He  called  her  Margy  and  dearest 
Margy,  and  laying  his  large  bony  hand  with  its  prom- 
inent knuckles  over  her  plump  one,  he  fastened  on  her 
ox-like  eyes  that  gleamed  amorously.  He  was  plead- 
ing his  cause  with  her. 

Margaret,  full  of  doubt  and  distress,  with  her  lips 
tightly  compressed  and  her  bosom  rising  and  falling  in 
her  agitation,  knew  not  which  way  to  turn. 

"Margy,  dear,"  he  said  almost  tearfully,  "I  know 
you  haven't  much  faith  in  my  protestations  and  that 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       375 
\ 

you  think  me  fickle;  but  you  are  unjust  to  me — hon- 
estly you  are.  I  know  I've  been  a  fool ;  but  I've  been 
cured  of  my  folly.  Margy,  I  want  you — only  you. 

"I  love  you,  Margy.  Give  me  a  chance  to  prove  it, 
won't  you?  You  always  understood  me  better  than 
any  girl  I've  ever  met.  I  know  now  that  it  was 
you  I  really  cared  for  from  the  first — really  I  do.  I 
know  it  sounds  silly  to  say  so,  but  my  running  after 
your  little  friend  was  only  a  momentary  fancy — an 
impulse  of  admiration,  and  not  love.  Instead  of  being 
unhappy,  I  was  glad  she  refused  me.  Margy,  don't 
let  that  silly  business  prejudice  you  against  me.  I 
don't  amount  to  much;  but  I  want  to  be  somebody, 
and — you  can  help  me.  There  isn't  anybody  like  you 
— and  you  can  do  what  you  will  with  me." 

He  paused  while  his  exploring  hand  groped  for 
hers :  "Say  something,  Margy.  Say  you  will  believe 
me  and  give  me  a  trial." 

Margaret  had  kept  her  eyes  all  the  time  fixed  on 
the  table ;  she  raised  them  now  and  looked  full  into  his 
now  thoroughly  serious,  pale  face.  The  earnestness 
she  saw  there  was  as  evident  as  it  was  unexpected. 
Was  she  wise  in  permitting  him  to  talk  like  this? 
And  yet,  after  all,  he  was  a  man  and  should  know  his 
own  mind.  She  could  but  admit  to  herself  that  he  had 
been  very  kind,  very  courteous  to  her,  and  what  he 
said  was  really  true — he  had  been  marked  in  his  at- 
tentions to  her  from  the  first  time  they  had  met.  He 
was  young — but  that  was  only  in  manner,  not  in 
years.  And,  she  could  not  help  confessing  that  she 
liked  him  better  than  any  other  man  she  had  known. 

Van  Dusen  sensed  her  kindlier  feelings  for  him  from 
the  changing  expressions  in  her  face. 

"Listen,  Margy,"  he  urged,  "mother  likes  you.  She 
says  you  are  the  most  sensible  and  wholesome  girl  she 
has  ever  met.  Only  last  night  she  told  me  that  I  needed 


376       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

a  girl  like  you  to  wake  me  up  and  keep  me  straight.  I 
know  she  will  be  glad  if  you  will  have  me — honest, 
she  will!" 

In  a  moment  Margaret — the  strong,  big,  wholesome 
Margaret — forgot  all  her  doubts,  forgot  her  oft-re- 
peated vows  to  celibacy,  forgot  everything  except  that 
she  was  lonely  and  still  young,  that  Howard  was  the 
kindest  of  men,  and  that  it  would  be  pleasant  to  take 
care  of  him,  to  make  a  good  husband  and  a  success- 
ful man  out  of  this  spoiled  boy.  She  looked  at  his  face 
and  noticed  that  his  hair  had  become  disordered  in  his 
excitement  and  felt  an  irrepressible  desire  to  brush  it 
straight.  She  hesitated  what  to  say — began  to  tem- 
porize with  herself — and  ended  where  all  end  who  hesi- 
tate— by  being  lost. 

"Do  you  really  care  for  me  so  much?"  she  mur- 
mured. "I  never,  never  thought  you  did."  Howard 
made  an  impulsive  movement  towards  her. 

"Please,  remember,  we  are  in  a  public  place.  Don't 
lean  over  and  look  at  me  like  that.  Please,  sit  up 
straight  and  let  us  be  calm." 

"Then,  tell  me,  Margy,  that  you  care  for  me.  Tell 
me  that  you  love  me." 

Margaret  admitted  that  she  was  very  fond  of  him — 
and  immediately  felt  very  happy. 

He  made  another  movement  to  get  nearer  to  her. 
"Please,  please,  remember  where  we  are !"  And  to  her 
own  surprise  she  burst  into  tears. 

Quickly  drying  her  eyes,  she  whispered:  "Do  you 
really  love  me,  clear?" 

This  time  Howard  disregarded  all  injunctions. 
Leaning  over  the  table  he  almost  sent  the  solitary  sugar 
bowl  between  them  sliding  to  the  carpeted  floor,  and 
whispered  in  her  ear:  "Shall  we  go,  dearest?"  The 
question  sounded  ridiculously  inane,  but  it  had  a  very 
practical  import. 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER      377 

Proudly  and  with  a  new-born  sense  of  protection, 
he  assisted  her  with  her  coat  and  walked  with  her  to 
the  door.  To  the  boy  who  handed  him  his  hat  and 
cane  he  gave  all  the  change  his  large  fist  could  grab. 
Flushed  with  victory  and  anticipatory  happiness,  he 
followed  the  tall,  striking  figure  of  the  girl  into  the 
street. 

Once  outside,  he  lost  not  a  moment  in  drawing  her 
hand  through  his  arm  and  leading  her  down  the  quieter 
side  street.  Where  they  walked  or  what  they  said  to 
each  other  neither  of  them  knew.  The  evening  was 
balmy  and  the  little  park  in  Madison  Square  a  quiet 
haven  with  most  accommodating  benches  in  the  deep 
shadows.  And  as  the  benches  can  neither  see  nor  speak 
nor  hear,  what  transpired  there  was,  therefore,  never 
recorded. 

When  Margaret  reached  the  house  in  Gramercy 
Park,  she  found  it  as  quiet  as  a  church.  The  vestibule, 
that  time-honored  institution  of  America,  the  ever- 
ready  refuge  for  laughing  swains  and  coy  maidens,  was 
inviting  and  bright.  Margaret  did  not  see  the  fantastic 
designs  on  Howard's  face  made  by  the  arabesques 
etched  on  the  glass  panels  of  the  door,  nor  did  he  see 
anything  but  her  sweet  eyes  and  arched  lips.  And 
here  they  sealed  their  plighted  troth ;  here  they  made 
their  plans  for  the  morrow's  new-coming  happiness. 
John  Morton  need  have  no  fear  about  Margaret  going 
with  Helene.  The  good  fairy  had  done  his  day's  work 
most  excellently  well. 

Helene  was  sitting  in  comfortable  deshabille,  wait- 
ing for  Margaret.  She  had  almost  made  up  her  mind 
to  chide  the  lax  duenna  for  her  dereliction  of  duty. 
But  when  she  saw  Margaret  open  the  door  she  greeted 
her  as  if  a  midnight  home-coming  were  a  common  oc- 
currence in  their  lives. 

And  Margaret?  Margaret  carefully  locked  the  door 
25 


378       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

and  then  walked  straight  up  to  Helene.  She  knelt 
down  before  her,  put  her  arms  about  her  and  kissed 
her  without  giving  utterance  to  a  single  word. 

For  a  few  moments  the  two  rested  thus  in  close 
embrace,  and  then  Helene,  the  inexperienced,  innocent 
child-woman,  kissed  her  dear  friend  and  stroking  her 
cheek  and  hair,  murmured : 

"I  am  glad  from  my  heart,  dearest,  that  it  has  come. 
I  am  sure  you  will  both  be  very,  very  happy." 

Who  had  told  her?    Ah,  who  knows? 

The  workings  of  a  woman's  brain  are  mysterious, 
her  moods  subtle,  and  the  communion  between  one 
woman's  mind  and  another's  ever  a  miracle.  The  in- 
stant she  had  spoken  Helene  felt  that  she  had  always 
known  that  Van  Dusen  loved  Margaret;  nay,  that  he 
could  not  help  loving  her.  And  yet,  a  moment  before 
she  would  have  denied  vehemently  the  possibility  of 
her  entertaining  even  a  suspicion  of  such  a  thought. 
Scientists  may  write  volumes  about  the  feminine  brain; 
they  may  dissect  and  weigh  it  as  much  as  they  please 
— their  experiments  will  but  bear  witness  to  their  fu- 
tility, for  their  analyses  will  have  been  in  vain.  It  is 
wisest  not  to  analyse  but  simply  to  bow  down  and 
accept  this  perfect  organism.  Man  may  intellectualize 
and  reason ;  but  woman  knows,  and  she  never  questions 
how  or  why  she  knows. 

Margaret,  her  head  against  Helene's  breast  was  cry- 
ing softly  and  protesting  that  she  would  never  leave  her 
darling,  never  forsake  her  so  long  as  Helene  wanted 
her.  Helene  said  nothing,  but  sat  still  and  allowed  the 
girl  to  kiss  and  embrace  her.  Her  sympathetic  silence 
had  its  beneficent  influence,  and  when  Margaret  had 
quieted  down,  Helene  said  to  her : 

"Margy,  dear,  it  is  the  best  that  could  come  to  you. 
I  have  known  it  all  along.  You  must  think  now  only  of 
your  own  happiness.  And  now,  good  night,  Margy, 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       379 

dear,  it  is  very  late  and  we  must  be  up  early  in  the 
morning.     Happy  dreams  be  with  you." 

Helene  lay  in  her  bed  thinking,  not  of  her  friend's 
new-found  happiness,  but  of  the  morning's  meeting, 
and  the  visit  to  Morton's  home.  She  was  anxious 
about  the  impression  she  would  make  on  his  mother 
and  sister  and  painfully  timid  of  the  ordeal.  Of  Mor- 
ton himself  she  had  no  fear — he  had  been  so  kind,  so 
happy  to  meet  her.  There  was  but  one  problem  with 
regard  to  him  she  had  still  left  unsolved — it  related 
to  the  money  in  the  bank  at  Weimar.  She  was  at  a 
loss  how  to  broach  the  subject  and  how  to  dispose  of 
it  once  and  for  all.  She  lay  awake  for  a  long  time 
turning  it  over  in  her  mind  again  and  again.  She  de- 
cided finally  that  she  would  speak  of  it  at  the  first  op- 
portunity and  have  done  with  it.  She  would  not  then 
be  his  debtor,  and  would  feel  free  of  the  burden  it  had 
been  to  her. 

Comforted  by  this  decision,  she  closed  her  eyes  and 
with  a  happy  sigh  slept  peacefully  the  deep  and 
strengthening  sleep  of  a  mind  at  rest. 

Margaret  sat  for  a  long  time  going  over  in  her  mind 
all  that  happened  to  her  on  this  momentous  even- 
ing. She  was  doing  battle  with  herself  to  subjugate 
the  doubts  that  kept  assailing  her  as  to  the  step  she 
had  taken.  For,  indeed,  she  had  gone  through  a  won- 
derful metamorphosis.  Yesterday,  an  ordinary  work- 
ing girl — to-day,  the  affianced  of  a  Van  Dusen!  A 
few  hours  ago  she  was  a  confirmed  spinster,  and  now 
she  was  happy  in  the  possession  of  the  truest  lover  a 
girl  was  ever  blessed  with.  Her  eyes  fell  on  the  finger 
of  her  left  hand  on  which  shone  a  gorgeous  diamond — 
his  betrothal  ring.  He  had  had  it  ready  in  his  pocket 
— nay,  as  he  told  her,  he  had  had  it  there  for  weeks, 
waiting  until  he  could  muster  up  the  courage  to  speak 
to  her.  What  a  man ! 


380       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

She  began  slowly  to  undress,  speculating  the  while 
as  to  whether  or  no  she  should  wear  the  ring  in  the 
morning.  What  would  Mrs.  Kane  and  the  others  say? 
She  extinguished  the  light,  but  not  before  she  had 
taken  a  last  admiring  and  loving  look  at  the  glittering 
gem,  and  crept  into  her  bed.  Should  she  remove  the 
ring  or  wear  it?  The  pillow  was  soft  and  soothing. 
She  stretched  her  limbs  luxuriously.  Should  she  wear 
the  ring  or — her  eyes  closed  in  sleep. 

Sleep,  dear  girl;  sleep  and  dream  of  the  happiness 
that  has  at  last  come  to  you.  Your  brave  spirit  shall 
soon  receive  its  reward.  Love,  with  which  you  blessed, 
will  bless  you. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

THE  harvest  moon  that  had  smiled  so  benignly 
upon  New  York  in  all  its  fullness  the  evening 
before  had  proved  a  false  prophet.  The  wind 
had  shifted  to  the  east  and  brought  a  copious  rainfall 
during  the  early  morning  hours,  and  it  was  still 
drizzling  when  Morton's  carriage  drew  up  before  the 
Gramercy  Park  house. 

The  feelings  of  Helene,  who  had  risen  early,  and 
in  high  spirits,  had  begun  to  oscillate  while  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  Morton,  alternating  between  looking 
forward  with  hopeful  expectancy  to  meeting  the  ladies 
of  whom  she  had  thought  so  often,  and  the  dread  of 
a  possible  unfavorable  impression  she  might  create. 

Laboring  under  these  depressing  doubts,  her  greet- 
ing of  Morton  appeared  less  spontaneous  than  he  in 
his  optimism  had  anticipated.  The  exchange  of  salu- 
tations became  quite  formal,  his  compliment  on  her  ap- 
pearance sounded  commonplace.  When,  during  the 
short  drive  to  the  Grand  Central  Station,  he  once  more 
and  rather  soberly  expressed  his  regret  that  their  out- 
ing had  begun  in  such  unpromising  weather,  Helene 
turned  to  him  with  a  somewhat  pathetic  smile : 

"I  don't  mind  the  rain  at  all.  I  think  I  am  really 
frightened  at  the  prospect  of  meeting  Mrs.  Morton  and 
your  sister!" 

"You  dear  child — you  need  not  worry  on  that  score ! 
They  can't  help  but  like  you,  and  I  am  quite  confident 
that  you  will  like  them." 

"You  give  me  courage,  Mr.  Morton — I  do  hope  you 
will  prove  to  be  right !"  Helene's  smile  had  now  lost 

381 


382       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

its  pathos,  anticipating  to  Morton  the  breaking  of  the 
sunshine  through  the  clouds  which  was  promised  by 
a  rapidly  widening  strip  of  heavenly  blue. 

In  the  drawing-room  of  the  now  quickly  moving 
train,  Helene  found  the  opportunity  she  had  been  wait- 
ing for  so  long. 

"Mr.  Morton — I  want  to  speak  to  you  on  a  matter 
which  has  been  constantly  on  my  mind.  It  relates  to 
that  money  in  the  Weimar  bank.  I  cannot  accept  it — 
it  is  not  rightfully  mine.  Please  withdraw  what  of  it 
is  yours.  I  cannot  take  money  from  you,  really  I 
cannot !" 

Morton  was  not  surprised.  He  had  expected  some 
such  outbreak  as  this.  In  the  stillness  of  the  past  night, 
in  which  he  had  devoted  some  hours  to  his  "Hellenic 
studies,"  he  had  once  again  read  the  girl's  last  letter 
to  him,  and  while  in  the  blissful  state  of  having  found 
her,  had  also  decided  what  he  would  do  should  she 
speak  of  this  matter. 

"Miss  Barton,  you  told  me  yesterday  that  you  had 
written  to  me  to  Cleveland.  The  letter  should  reach 
me  in  two  days.  In  that  letter,  I  presume,  you  accept 
the  injunctions  laid  upon  you  by  your  father?  Am  I 
right  ?"  Helene,  who  had  been  anxiously  awaiting  his 
reply,  nodded. 

"Your  father  had  enjoined  me  to  act  in  his  stead. 
Consequently,  I  have  become,  so  to  say,  your  legal 
guardian.  Now,  Miss  Helene,  as  you  are  still  a  minor, 
any  action  with  reference  to  any  property  or  money 
you  may  own,  lies  with  me.  You  surely  do  not  ques- 
tion my  qualifications  for  this  duty?"  Helene  gave 
a  protesting  and  frightened,  "Oh — no!" 

"Very  good,  then,  suppose  you  leave  this  all  to  me 
and  to  my  office.  When  the  proper  time  arrives,  my 
secretary  will  render  you  a  full  account.  Until  then, 
please  let  us  dismiss  it!"  The  mouth  of  his  vis-a-vis 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       383 

showed  a  decided  droop,  which  made  Morton  imme- 
diately change  both  his  tone  and  tactics.  Taking  the 
little  hand  that  hung  listlessly  at  her  side,  and  giving 
her  his  most  brotherly  smile,  he  said,  as  insinuatingly 
as  he  knew  how : 

"Poor  child,  you  have  been  worrying  all  these 
months  without  any  real  cause!  You  should  have  had 
full  confidence  in  your  father's  wisdom  and  in  me. 
Now  remember  what  you  promised  me  last  evening? 
To-day  is  still  summer,  this  is  to  be  yours  and  Ruth's 
day.  Brush  away  the  wrinkles  from  your  brow  and 
let  us  all  be  happy.  See,  the  sun  is  shining  again, 
bright  and  warm.  The  country  will  look  the  better  for 
the  rain.  Even  the  elements  are  on  their  best  behavior 
in  your  honor,  Miss  Helene,  and  you  should  recipro- 
cate!" 

His  eyes  met  her  searching  glance  unwaveringly. 
She  saw  no  guile  in  them  and  her  heart  found  its  hap- 
piness in  surrendering  to  his  authority. 

Helene  and  Morton  were  the  sole  occupants  of  the 
lumbering  "carry-all"  that  deposited  them  at  the  open 
park  gate.  The  gravel  paths  had  dried,  but  the  lawns 
still  glistened  with  myriads  of  dazzling  rain-born  gems. 
The  foliage  of  bush  and  tree  shone  with  a  renewed 
gloss  and  the  sweet  scent  of  new-mown  hay  belied  the 
spring-morn  redolence  of  the  balmy  air  which  was 
filled  with  faint  whispers  of  bird-song. 

Helene  breathed  the  gracious  air  and  with  care-free 
heart  tripped  joyously  by  the  side  of  her  companion, 
exclaiming  her  delight  in  the  beauty  of  her  surround- 
ings. Then  both  grew  silent.  The  restfulness  of  the 
garden,  the  peace  of  the  Sabbath  and  the  hush  of  mem- 
ories were  upon  them. 

The  path  rose  gradually.  The  sauntering  pair  ad- 
vanced slowly  until,  emerging  from  a  group  of  thick 
shrubbery,  they  caught  the  first  glimpse  of  the  majestic 


384       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

river  glistening  in  the  broad  sunlight.  The  charming 
vista  drew  renewed  admiration  from  Helene  and 
brought  the  suggestion  from  her  companion  that  she 
should  rest  upon  a  convenient  stone  seat  in  the  deep 
shade  nearby. 

"We  have  many  things  to  talk  about,  Miss  Helene, 
and,  I  fear,  once  my  mother  meets  you,  I  shall  find 
very  little  further  opportunity.  You  have  given  me  an 
outline  of  your  life  during  the  past  ten  months,  and 
you  have  told  me  you  are  now  quite  happy.  Will  you 
not  tell  me  of  your  ambitions,  of  your  work  and, 
perhaps,  of  your  plans?  This  is  a  cozy  spot,  almost 
made  for  friendly  confidences." 

Helene's  eyes  rose  questioningly  to  his ;  but  the  calm 
face  beamed  kindly  and  invitingly  on  her. 

"I  am,  indeed,  very  happy,  Mr.  Morton.  I  have  not 
heard  from  either  Weimar  or  Roumelia,  so  that  I  am 
entirely  out  of  touch  with  my  old  life.  What  has 
been  the  fate  of  my  country  and  my  Princess?  Per- 
haps you  can  enlighten  me  ?" 

She  paused  questioningly.  Was  she  trying  to  gain 
time  ?  But  surely,  it  was  Morton's  turn  to  speak. 

"The  last  information  I  received  from  abroad,"  re- 
plied Morton,  "said  that  the  Princess  Marie-Louise  was 
still  at  Weimar.  Some  ten  days  ago  I  had  a  letter 
from  Mr.  Rosen,  the  first  news  from  Roumelia  since 
we  left  it.  Conditions  there  have  at  last  begun  to 
improve  somewhat;  life  has  become  bearable,  he  writes. 
Miss  Rachel  is  well.  About  the  political  state  of  the 
country,  however,  he  is  silent.  From  Berlin  come 
rumors  that  the  Royalist  party  is  growing  stronger 
every  day  and  that  an  important  move  may  be  expected 
shortly.  Would  you  wish  to  return  to  your  own  coun- 
try, Miss  Helene?" 

"I  have  no  one  left  there,  Mr.  Morton,  who  would 
claim  me.  And  even  if  restitution  were  offered  and 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       385 

papa's  land  should  be  returned  to  me — what  could  I 
do  there?  No,  Roumelia  and  I  have  parted  forever, 
I  fear.  This  country,  your  country,  Mr.  Morton,  has 
opened  to  me  a  new  vista  in  life,  even  if  its  prospects 
are  not  quite  clear.  But  to  tell  the  truth,  I  have  not 
thought  much  of  what  is  to  come,  and  I  have  formed 
no  plans  for  the  future." 

But  John  had  his  plans,  however,  but  these  lay  hid- 
den in  his  breast,  for  the  time  had  not  yet  come  for 
him  to  reveal  them.  He  had  his  road  cut  out  before 
him. 

"I  am  delighted  to  hear  that  our  beautiful  country 
finds  an  admirer  in  you.  It  well  deserves  it.  Do  you 
know,  your  remarks  recall  a  curious  prophecy  pro- 
nounced by  your  father  in  one  of  our  frequent  conver- 
sations. He  pointed  out  that  history  proves  the  con- 
stant trend  of  progress  from  the  East  to  the  West, 
and  predicted  that  the  most  powerful  commonwealths, 
the  most  enlightened  people  will  in  future  dwell  in  the 
West.  His  words  recurred  to  me  the  other  night  while 
thinking  over  what  a  friend  of  mine,  a  prominent  pro- 
fessor of  the  city,  had  said  to  me  on  the  subject  of 
telepathy.  I  was  wishing  I  could  speak  to  you  by 
means  of  this  mysterious  power,  wishing  I  could  bring 
you  nearer  to  me  or  know  where  I  could  find  you. 
And,  behold,  the  very  next  day  I  met  you!  It  must 
have  been  this  mysterious  force  of  the  "westward 
trend"  that  brought  you  here." 

A  flush  suffused  Helene's  face.  "Then  you  did 
sometimes  think  of  me?"  she  asked  shyly.  "I  see  now 
that  it  was  wrong  in  me  not  to  write.  But,  oh,  I  was 
so  ignorant  of  life — will  you  not  forgive  me?  Happy 
as  I  was  with  Margaret,  the  thought  of  my  negligence 
was  never  out  of  my  mind — and — I  corrected  my 
error  just  as  soon  as  I  could !" 

"My  dear  Miss  Helene,  my  dear  child — all  is  well 


386       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

that  ends  well!"  He  glanced  about  him;  for  he  had 
a  sudden  feeling  that  eyes  were  hidden  in  the  bushes. 
But  all  breathed  rest  and  solitude,  not  a  sound  dis- 
turbed the  still  air.  "Miss  Helene,  we  have  still  some 
time  before  us.  Mother  and  Ruth  are  at  church.  Let 
us  walk  up  to  the  brow  of  the  hill,  where  you  can  get 
a  wider  view  of  the  river.  It  is  but  a  few  rods  from 
there  to  the  house,  and  we  can  time  our  arrival  by 
observing  my  mother's  carriage  drive  up !" 

Helene  was  chatting  vivaciously  now  about  her 
interesting  work,  and  was  expressing  her  admiration 
for  the  customs  of  this,  her  country  by  adoption.  She 
permitted  Morton  the  full  enjoyment  of  her  con- 
fidences. The  path  led  to  a  low  marble  building  pat- 
terned after  a  Grecian  temple,  which  occupied  the 
summit  of  the  gentle  hill. 

"There  is  our  goal,  Miss  Helene.  Please  do  not 
turn  round  until  you  are  on  the  porch;  to  obtain  the 
full  effect  of  the  beauty  of  the  view,  it  should  come  by 
surprise!"  She  smiled  up  to  him  happily  and,  obe- 
dient to  his  request,  sat  down  on  a  wicker-bench  he 
drew  towards  her.  The  next  moment  a  glad  cry  of 
wonderment  escaped  her. 

There  before  her  gaze  spread  the  broad  river  bor- 
dered by  luxurious  trees,  the  waves  of  which  shim- 
mered in  the  brilliant  light  of  the  sun  now  high  above 
them,  and  beyond  the  glorious  waters  the  olive  smooth- 
ness of  the  hills  on  the  opposite  bank.  The  fore- 
ground, a  well-kept  park,  lost  itself  into  neighboring 
slopes  equally  parklike.  On  the  waters,  the  one  thing 
in  motion,  an  ungainly  barge  towed  by  a  powerful 
tug;  and  over  all  the  quiet  of  leisure,  the  restfulness 
of  solitude. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Morton,"  she  exclaimed,  "I  am  so  grateful 
to  you  for  bringing  me  here.  It  is  glorious !  And  to 
think  that  we  are  but  a  few  miles  from  the  gigantic 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       387 

city  and  its  teaming  millions !  Wonderful !  I  see  now 
why  your  people  love  this  place.  Will  you  point  out 
your  house  to  me?" 

"The  house  is  hidden  beyond  that  slight  swell  to 
your  left.  There,  right  under  us,  is  the  driveway. 
Shall  we  sit  here  awhile?  It  is  so  quiet  and  restful 
— almost  like  in  a  church,  don't  you  think  ?"  He  found 
a  seat  on  one  of  the  steps  of  the  porch. 

Helene,  smiling  assent,  gratefully  relaxed  in  her 
seat.  She  was  too  happy  to  speak.  She  felt  at  peace 
with  herself  and  all  the  world. 

"Miss  Helene,"  Morton  broke  into  her  reveries. 
"Would  you  be  interested  to  know  what  happened  to 
me  since  we  parted  ?  You  have  not  inquired  ?" 

"I  am  more  than  interested,  only  I  had  not  the  cour- 
age to  ask.  Please  tell  me."  She  placed  her  hands 
together  supplicatingly. 

"May  I  go  further  back  than  one  year?  I  should 
like  to  tell  you  about  my  earlier  life.  You  may  find  it 
entertaining." 

"Nothing  would  please  me  more ;"  her  animated  eye 
confirmed  her  words.  Morton  sat  leaning  against  the 
fluted  column. 

"It  seems  a  long  time  as  I  look  back,  but  as  a  boy, 
I  was,  no  doubt,  as  fond  of  studies  and  athletics  as 
most  boys ;  but  somehow,  I  never  became  intimate  with 
my  schoolmates.  My  father's  wealth  prevented  me, 
for  I  was  always  reminded  of  it,  and  I  resented  it.  It 
was  the  same  at  college.  Whenever  I  attempted  to 
embrace  a  friendship  offered  me,  my  father's  position 
interfered.  I  don't  believe  that  the  young  men  of  my 
country  are  any  more  devout  worshipers  of  the  Golden 
Calf  than  those  of  the  rest  of  the  world;  but  I  sup- 
pose I  was  over-sensitive.  At  all  events,  I  came  in 
time  to  hate  wealth.  I  put  down  to  that  the  loneliness 
of  my  youth;  for  I  became  more  and  more  a  solitary. 


388       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

In  time  this  so  grew  on  me  that,  after  my  graduation 
from  Harvard,  I  went  abroad — to  England  and  then 
to  Germany.  There  I  devoted  myself  to  literary  and 
scientific  studies.  Strange  to  say,  the  people  there 
were  more  willing  to  value  me  for  what  I  was,  and 
I  lived  there  some  of  the  happiest  days  of  my  life.  Do 
I  tire  you  with  this  autobiography,  Miss  Helene?" 

"Not  at  all,  Mr.  Morton.  I  am  greatly  interested. 
Please  continue." 

"I  returned  to  Cleveland  with  the  full  intention  of 
entering  one  of  my  father's  enterprises.  I  had  quite  a 
leaning  towards  engineering  and  had  acquired  consider- 
able knowledge  of  it.  My  father  approved  when  I  spoke 
to  him,  but  I  could  see  that  he  did  not  believe  I  was 
serious.  He  suspected  that  I  had  made  the  suggestion 
to  please  him.  I  believe  now  he  was  right,  because  I 
soon  grew  restless  again,  il  tried  travel  for  one  year 
and  was  attached  to  our  Embassy  in  London — but 
nothing  satisfied  me.  Again  I  returned  to  America 
and  assisted  my  father  in  some  work  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains ;  but  wanderlust  once  more  seized  me  and  I 
went  to  the  Soudan.  It  was  on  my  return  from  that 
place  that  I  met  and  came  to  know  the  Count,  your 
father."  Morton  paused  and  locked  his  hands  over 
his  knee;  then  he  continued  in  a  softer  voice:  "To 
know  him  was  to  reverence  him.  The  few  days  of 
companionship  I  had  the  privilege  to  spend  with  him 
have  had  a  great  influence  on  me.  When  I  came  home 
I  was  a  changed  man.  To-day,  I  am  engaged,  heart 
and  mind,  in  the  work  my  father  so  ably  laid  out  for 
me.  I  am  a  business  man;  and,  strange  as  it  may 
sound,  I  am  proud  of  it." 

Helene  had  listened  with  the  deepest  attention  and 
interest  showing  in  her  mobile  features.  When  Mor- 
ton paused,  she  said  simply: 

"I  do  not  think  it  strange,  Mr.  Morton.  Since  I  have 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       389 

lived  in  America  I  have  come  to  look  up  to  the  business 
man — the  man  of  action.  I  think  his  is  the  noblest  of 
occupations.  The  European  attitude  to  the  man  of 
business  is  both  foolish  and  wrong.  Were  I  a  man,  I 
would  want  to  be  in  business."  Her  eyes  sparkled  and 
her  cheeks  glowed. 

Morton  had  risen  and  was  standing  before  her  with 
folded  arms. 

"Miss  Helene,"  he  said  in  a  low  voice,  "will  you  let 
me  tell  you  what  else  happened  to  me  during  the  few 
weeks  between  my  meeting  with  your  father  and  my 
leaving  for  home  ?" 

The  words  were  simple  enough ;  but  the  man's  face 
wore  so  strange  an  expression  that  Helene  was  filled 
with  trepidation.  She  could  barely  stammer  her  assent 
and  stared  helplessly  into  space. 

"Miss  Helene,"  Morton  was  pale  now  and  his  voice 
had  gained  an  impassioned  vigor.  She  felt  she  dared 
not  look  at  him.  "Miss  Helene,  when  I  met  your 
father — I  also  met  his  daughter — by  means  of  a  por- 
trait which  has  since  never  left  its  place  near  my  heart." 

The  girl's  lips  formed  as  if  to  whisper,  but  no  sound 
passed  through  them. 

"A  voice  in  me  spoke  to  me,  and  said  'this  is  the 
woman  of  your  dreams,'  and  I  exultantly  obeyed  the 
call.  When  I  met  you  in  Padina  my  dream  woman 
was  surpassingly  realized.  And  during  the  days  that 
came  after,  when  I  saw  you,  hour  after  hour,  so  brave, 
so  loyal,  so  good,  my  heart  went  out  to  you.  All  my 
manhood  cried  out  to  protect  you,  and  all  my  soul  de- 
sired to  worship  you.  On  that  memorable  morning 
in  the  Transylvanian  cottage,  when  I  stood  near  you 
and  held  your  hand,  I  almost  forgot  your  distress  and 
came  near  opening  my  heart  to  you.  And  in  Vienna 
when  at  parting  you  spoke  those  words  of  friendship 
and  approval,  it  was  all  I  could  do  to  hold  myself  back. 


390       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

I  left  determined  to  come  back  to  Weimar  and  speak 
to  you ;  but  you  had  flown.  Oh,  how  I  have  searched 
for  you !  But  I  had  to  be  content  with  your  letter  and 
its  promise  for  the  autumn.  I  have  lived  on  that  prom- 
ise— and  no  man  ever  longed  for  autumn  as  I  did! 
Helene,  I  am  not  a  youth  to  be  caught  by  a  beautiful 
face.  I  am  a  ripened  man  tried  by  the  fire  of  life. 
When  I  met  you,  face  to  face  yesterday,  I  knew  it  was 
the  answer  to  my  prayers.  I  know  now  what  love  is — > 
true,  ennobling  love.  Helene,  I  love  you.  Will  you  not 
look  at  me?  Speak  to  me,  Helene!" 

Deeply  agitated,  she  raised  her  eyes,  which  shone 
with  the  bliss  of  a  revelation,  to  the  impassioned  man 
towering  over  her.  Her  lashes  were  wet  with  tears 
they  had  tried  to  hide.  Then  a  mischievous  little  smile 
parted  the  lips  as  she  whispered : 

"I  am  still  a  minor — what  does  my  dear  guardian 
command  ?" 

Morton  gave  a  quick  step  forward  and  gathered  her 
into  his  arms.  Her  face  was  hidden  in  his  breast ;  she 
Rvas  safe  in  the  harbor  at  last !  He  held  her  for  some 
moments  when  a  timid  voice  muffled  in  the  folds  of 
his  coat  came  up  to  him: 

"Mr.  Morton—did  you  say  those  words  because  you 
pity  me — because  of  your  promise  to  my  father  ?" 

"Pity  you,  my  darling!  Why,  sweetheart,  you  are 
the  greatest,  noblest  gift  God  can  bestow  on  any  man. 
rAll  my  life  I  shall  bless  Him  and  thank  Him  for  the 
great  boon  he  has  vouchsafed  me.  The  promise  I  gave 
your  father  was  given  long  after  the  sacred  promise  I 
had  given  myself — to  protect  you  always — as  my  dear 
wife."  Then  in  a  softer  voice:  "But,  sweetheart — 
you  must  call  me  John." 

No  reply,  only  sounds  suspiciously  like  a  child's  sobs, 
came  from  the  hidden  face.  Helene  was  weeping  her 
tears  of  unspeakable  happiness,  Morton  gently  lifted 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       391 

her  head  back  and  saw  her  face  transfigured  with  love. 
With  reverent  finality  he  kissed  her  moist  lips  as  she 
murmured : 

"My  dear  knight,  without  fear  and  without 
blemish." 

The  shady  porch  is  transmuted  into  an  altar. 
Framed  between  the  pillars  and  above  the  balustrades, 
templelike,  the  blue  vault  of  true  heaven  looks  down. 
In  an  air  vibrating  with  a  whispered  symphony  a  little 
butterfly  alights  on  the  seat — a  harbinger  of  security. 
And  over  the  pair  passes  that  happiness  which  the 
human  heart  knows  but  once  in  a  lifetime. 

Through  the  shade  of  the  lofty  pillared  portico  Hel- 
ene  and  John  entered  the  spacious  reception  hall  of 
"Rhinecliff."  Helene  was  still  under  the  influence  of 
the  emotion  aroused  in  her  by  the  solemnity  of  the 
last  hour.  She  barely  noticed  the  transition  from  the 
park  to  the  broad  driveway,  lined  by  ancient  elms,  lead- 
ing to  the  commanding  terrace.  Indeed,  she  could  not 
have  told  how  she  reached  the  room  to  which  Mor- 
ton's guiding  arm  had  led  her.  The  dread  which  had 
possessed  her  in  the  early  morning  had  now  returned 
with  increased  insistence;  so  that  when  they  stood  be- 
fore a  handsome  gray-haired  lady,  she  heard  Morton's 
voice  as  through  a  veil :  "Mother,  I  have  great  pleasure 
in  bringing  to  you  Comtesse  Rondell."  She  could  just 
see  the  winning  smile  upon  the  fresh  face  and  hear  the 
cordial  words:  "I  am  happy  to  welcome  you,  Com- 
tesse." As  in  a  dream  she  took  the  hand  which  was 
held  out  to  her,  and  mumbled  a  polite  sentence,  im- 
agining, in  her  trepidation,  an  investigating  pause  on 
the  part  of  the  elderly  lady.  Try  as  she  would  she 
could  not  master  her  embarrassment;  but  her  gentle 
breeding  and  natural  charms  came  to  her  aid,  and 
she  expressed  eloquently  what  the  disobedient  lips 
failed  to  say.  She  looked  the  pure  girl  she  was.  One 


392       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

glance  of  Mrs.  Morton's  approving  eye  was  sufficient 
to  take  it  all  in. 

"We  entered  through  the  South  Gate,  mother,  and 
Comtesse  Rondell  must  be  tired.  She  has  agreed  to 
stay  for  luncheon;  I  trust  you  will  persuade  her  to 
remain  until  after  dinner." 

"Permit  me  to  ring  for  the  maid,  Comtesse.  You 
will  require  a  rest  after  your  journey  and  the  warm 
walk,"  suggested  the  hostess. 

"Hello,  Ruth!"  His  sister  had  entered  from  an 
inner  door.  "Ruth,  I  want  you  to  meet  Comtesse  Ron- 
dell,  a  dear  friend  of  mine — my  sister  Ruth,  Comtesse. 
I  have  often  spoken  of  you,  Ruth,  to  the  Comtesse.  I 
hope  you  will  be  friends." 

Full  of  animation,  Ruth  came  forward.  A  glance 
at  Helene's  face  caused  her  to  halt  momentarily  and  to 
send  an  indignant  look  at  her  brother,  both  of  which 
actions  escaped  all  but  Helene.  Then  her  willing  hand 
grasped  Helene's  shy  offering  in  a  hearty  clasp:  "If 
the  Comtesse  is  minded  like  I  am,  it  won't  take  us  long 
to  be  the  best  of  friends." 

Helene  reddened  deeply,  but  this  time  the  little  dim- 
ples came  into  play.  The  smiling  eye  veiled  the  recog- 
nition which  the  parted  lips  were  longing  to  betray : 
"Miss  Morton,  I  shall  be  very  happy  if  we  are  friends." 

When  the  maid  appeared,  Ruth  and  the  visitor  were 
occupying  seats  next  to  each  other  in  a  retired  nook 
engrossed  in  a  low-voiced  conversation.  "Comtesse," 
said  Mrs.  Morton,  interrupting  them,  "Nettie  will  show 
you  to  your  room.  Luncheon  will  be  served  in  a  few 
minutes." 

When  Helene  retired,  John  turned  to  his  mother: 
"I  hope,  mother,  you  will  like  Comtesse  Helene.  If 
you  are  disengaged  before  luncheon,  I  should  like  to 
see  you.  Can  you  spare  the  time?" 

"Certainly,  my  dear  boy.     You  will  find  me  in  the 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       393 

lounging  room.  Was  the  matter  that  kept  you  in  town 
disagreeable,  John?" 

"Not  at  all,  mother.  I  will  tell  you  all  about  it.  I 
shall  put  off  my  Western  trip,  however,  for  the 
present." 

On  his  way  to  his  room  John  was  intercepted  in  the 
hall  by  his  excited  sister.  "John,"  she  hissed  breath- 
lessly. "I  wouldn't  have  believed  it  of  you!  How 
could  you  be  so  mean?" 

"I  don't  understand  you,  sis.    What  have  I  done?" 

"Couldn't  you  wait  until  I  had  brought  you  two 
together?  Who  introduced  ypu  to  her?" 

John  looked  his  astonishment.  "Do  you  refer  to 
Comtesse  Rondell  ?  Why,  I  met  her  abroad  last  year, 
through  her  father.  What  are  you  driving  at,  little 
one?" 

"Oh,  John — this  is  too  wonderful!  You  big  stupid 
— don't  you  see!  The  Comtesse  is  my  beautiful  dis- 
covery of  two  days  ago,  the  replica  of  papa's  Gains- 
borough !" 

At  once  John  saw  everything,  even  the  ambiguous 
situation  in  which  his  darling  might  find  herself. 

"Ruth,  I  didn't  dream  of  this !  Please  do  not  refer 
to  it  in  any  way.  I  would  not  have  Comtesse  Helene 
embarrassed  for  anything  in  the  world.  Promise,  sis  ?" 

"Sure,  Jack,  cross  my  heart !  But,  brother  of  mine, 
isn't  she  all  I  said  she  was?" 

John  laid  his  arm  affectionately  about  his  sister's 
shoulder.  "She  is  all  that,  my  dear,  and  more.  Now, 
run  off  and  be  discreet.  And — Ruth — it  is  my  dearest 
wish  that  you  and  Helene — the  Comtesse,  you  know — 
should  be  dear  friends." 

"Oh !  Does  the  wind  blow  from  that  quarter,  Jack  ? 
I  am  so  glad !"  A  lightning-like  hug,  an  ethereal  kiss 
— and  she  was  off! 

In  the  lounging  room,  later,  John  sat  facing  his 
26 


394       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

mother.  The  breeze  entering  through  the  open  Vene- 
tian windows  relieved  the  noon  heat,  but  failed  to 
lighten  the  task  he  had  before  him.  Many  a  time  had 
he  gone  over  this  interview  in  his  mind,  always  look- 
ing forward  to  it  with  exultation.  And  now,  when 
the  moment  had  arrived,  he  felt  greatly  ill-at-ease. 

"Mother,  dear — you  may  remember  my  telling  you 
that  I  had  met  a  lady  whom  I  hoped  to  win — that 
she  had  been  lost  to  me.  Well,  I  have  found  her 
again.  She  is  the  Comtesse  Rondell.  I  met  her  in 
New  York  yesterday,  quite  by  chance — and  I  have 
won  her.  Mother,  I  am  very  happy.  I  want  you  to 
love  her  for  my  sake,  though  I  know  you  will  gladly 
embrace  her  for  her  own  virtues." 

John  had  spoken  very  earnestly.  Mrs.  Morton 
looked  at  her  "boy"  in  sheer  astonishment.  "John, 
my  dearest  boy — I  don't  know  what  to  say — it  has 
come  so  unexpectedly!  Of  course,  John,  I  will  do  my 
best — she  certainly  looks  sweet.  But,  John.  .  .  ." 

"Mother,  you  will  love  her  and  be  proud  of  her 
when  you  see  me  the  blessedest  man  in  America." 

Mrs.  Morton's  eyes  filled  with  tears.  "Your  hap- 
piness, John,  dear,  is  all  I  ask  for." 

"Thank  you,  mother.  And  now  will  you  do  me  a 
kindness?  I  have  no  ring  to  give  Helene.  Can  you 
give  me  one  of  yours?" 

"Wait  until  after  luncheon,  John.  Do  you  love  her 
very  much?"  She  rose,  floundering  again  on  the 
verge  of  tears.  The  news  had  almost  overwhelmed  the 
good  lady ;  or  was  it  jealous  resentment  or  simply  the 
fear  of  the  change  that  it  would  mean  for  her? 

Morton  rose  quickly  and,  laying  his  hands  affection- 
ately upon  his  mother's  shoulders  said,  with  deep  feel- 
ing :  "Mother,  I  do.  It  is  not  a  momentary  fancy  or 
infatuation.  When  you  know  Helene,  you  will  under- 
stand that  it  was  not  her  beauty  only  but  her  golden 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       395 

heart  that  drew  me  to  her.  Mother,  I  feel  blessed  be- 
yond all  men  that  this  heart  has  been  placed  in  my 
keeping." 

"Oh,  John — I  do  hope  it's  as  yon  say.  You  must 
forgive  me — I  am  a  little  unnerved.  If  Comtesse  Ron- 
dell  should  come  down  before  I  return — will  you  ex- 
cuse me  to  her,  John  ?  I  shall  be  back  shortly." 

Luncheon  proved  a  very  simple  affair  and  the  con- 
versation which  at  the  beginning  had  rested  upon 
Ruth's  shoulders  soon  became  general  and  animated. 
Helene,  who  sat  at  Mrs.  Morton's  left,  had  lost  her 
shyness  and  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  occasion  with 
the  tactful  modesty  and  grace  of  manners  which  never 
yet  had  failed  to  charm.  Mrs.  Morton's  formal  polite- 
ness gradually  melted  into  admiration.  She  was  evi- 
dently charmed  with  the  girl.  John  observed  with 
lightened  heart  the  approving  eye  and  the  pleased  ex- 
pression on  his  mother's  face. 

On  rising  from  the  table  Mrs.  Morton  pleaded  some 
duty  and  left  the  young  people  to  themselves  on  the 
porch.  At  once  Ruth  rose  and  took  her  new  friend 
by  the  arm.  "Let's  leave  John  to  his  cigar,  Helene  (it 
had  been  Helene  after  the  first,  of  course),  I  want  to 
show  you  my  patch  of  woods  if  you  don't  mind  the 
hot  sun.  Mother  and  John  always  talk  shop  at  this 
hour — even  on  a  Sunday,  I  believe.  Come,  dear." 

John  caught  Helene's  eye  and  saw  the  look  of  re- 
lief and  longing  for  a  respite  to  be  enjoyed  with  her 
girl  friend,  and  prudently  resigned  himself. 

It  was  not  long  before  his  mother  came  to  him, 
smiling  happily,  her  cheeks  faintly  flushed.  "The  ring 
your  father  gave  me  upon  our  engagement,  John," 
she  whispered  with  a  catch  in.  her  voice,  handing  him 
a  brilliant  stone.  And  John  knew  all  was  well — Hel- 
ene had  won! 

Ruth's  chatter  became  audible  from  the  stairway, 


396       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

the  clatter  of  youthful  feet  resounded  from  the  hall, 
and  the  two  girls  entered  hand  in  hand.  Ruth  looked 
first  at  John,  then  at  her  mother,  and  lastly  at  Helene, 
who  had  remained  somewhat  in  the  rear.  Draw- 
ing the  hand  she  held  towards  her,  she  encircled  her 
friend's  waist  with  the  other,  and  curtesying  in  mock 
reverence,  and  with  a  well-assumed  dignity,  said :  "I 
have  the  honor  to  present  to  you  both  the  Comtesse 
Helene  Rondell — my  darling  sister."  Then,  running 
up  to  her  brother  she  threw  her  arms  around  him  and 
gave  him  a  resounding  kiss.  "My  congratulations, 
brother!" 

Of  course,  after  this,  all  ceremony  had  to  be  fore- 
gone. But  it  was  Mrs.  Morton's  affectionate  embrace 
of  Helene  which  sealed  the  welcome.  It  brought  a 
great  happiness  to  Ruth  and  John  and  a  transcendent 
light  into  Helene's  girlish  face. 

At  dinner  John  announced  that  Helene  would  re- 
turn to  New  York  that  night  and  that  he  would  escort 
her  home.  It  was,  indeed,  a  happy  meal  for  these  four 
— now  reunited  in  love. 

Later  they  were  sitting  on  the  porch  enjoying  the 
lovely  evening  over  their  coffee.  Faint  stars  were 
beginning  to  twinkle  and  the  air  had  the  warmth  which 
comes  with  the  dying  summer. 

"John,"  broke  in  Ruth,  "it's  a  glorious  evening;  you 
should  show  Helene  the  hill-view  from  the  east  loggia. 
I  will  let  you  know  when  the  carriage  drives  up." 


John  stood  with  his  beloved  in  the  dusk  of  the  pro- 
tected wing.  Below  them  the  evening  haze  of  autumn 
enveloped  the  valley  and  slopes,  leaving  a  clear  outline 
of  wooded  hillside  against  the  bright  glow  whence  the 
rising  moon  was  promised.  From  the  distance  blinked 
occasional  gleams  of  light  marking  dwellings  here  and 


UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER       397 

there.  Out  of  the  darkened  lawn  came  the  song  of 
crickets  and  the  whisper  of  the  invisible  night  life.  It 
was  the  very  time  and  place  for  our  fairy.  Surely  he 
was  behind  that  dusky  bed  of  cannas,  crouching  under 
the  giant  leaf  of  that  caladium ! 

Helene  sat  supported  by  John's  strong  arm,  and 
over  both  surged  a  flood  of  golden  memories.  She 
was  the  first  to  break  the  stillness : 

"Mr.  Morton — John — you  are  so  very  rich  and 
powerful.  I  did  not  dream  of  it.  And  I — I  have 
nothing — not  even  a  dot!  Is  it  right  that  I  permit  my- 
self to  love  you?  Will  you  not  regret  it,  some  day?" 

John  tightened  the  arm  round  her  shoulder,  and 
gave  a  love  chuckle.  "Darling,  the  girls  of  our  coun- 
try never  have  dots,  even  if  their  parents  have  sinful 
wealth.  And  you — the  good  God  has  given  you  wealth 
beyond  compare.  He  has  given  you  a  heart  finer  than 
gold,  beauty  rarer  than  a  vision.  And  ...  I  love 
you,  Helene,  I  love  you." 

She  drew  herself  closer  to  his  breast  and  gave  a 
faint  sigh  of  ineffable  content.  "If  papa  could  know, 
John,"  she  said  softly. 

"I  think  he  does  know,  sweetheart,  and  is  smiling 
down  on  us.  See,  Helene,  there  is  my  faithful  ally, 
the  'Great  Bear.'  He  kept  his  promise  and  spoke  for 
me." 

"You  mean  the  'Big  Dipj>er,'  John,"  said  Helene 
with  a  smile.  "He  has  been  my  good  friend  also. 
Other  girls  may  have  a  star  of  destiny ;  but  I — I  have 
seven !" 

The  fairy  behind  the  cannas  rubbed  his  palms  to- 
gether in  great  glee — and  grinned. 

With  faces  upturned  they  stood  as  if  listening  for 
the  message  of  promise  from  the  twinkling  stars,  their 
souls  in  union — the  brave  hearts  tried,  the  abiding 
love  tested.  It  was  the  last  day  of  summer;  but  for 


398       UNDER    THE    BIG    DIPPER 

these  two  happy  ones,  it  was  the  dawn  of  eternal 
spring ! 

A  door  slammed  and  energetic  heels  tatooed  a  warn- 
ing. Ruth's  form  stood  outlined  against  the  dimly 
lighted  glass  door. 

"Children,"  she  called  out  in  her  fresh,  cheery  voice, 
"the  moon  will  be  up  in  five  minutes — and  your  car- 
riage is  coming  up  the  drive !" 


THE  END. 


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